i 



r 



OF CONFESS 





3 



j 



I 




Moorish Costume, Full Dress, from a Photograph. 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS : 

BEING AN ACCOUNT OF TRAVELS, WITH A GENERAL 
DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE. 



BY 

ARTHUR LBARED, M.D. Oxon., F.R.O.P. 

FELLOW OF THE EOYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, MEMBER OF THE ROYAL 
IRISH ACADEMY, AND OF THE ICELANDIC LITERARY SOCIETY, 
COPENHAGEN, ETC. 



WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, 



SAMPSON LOW, MAKSTON, SEAELE, & EIVINGTON, 

CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET. 
1876. 

[All rights reserved.^ 




LONDON : 

GILBEET AND EIVINGTON, PEINTEES, 
ST. JOHN'S SQTJAEE. 



TRANSFER 
2 

SEP 22 1943 
Serial Record Division 

0«MT — 



29 dotation. 



TO THE MOST BENEVOLENT AND ENERGETIC OF HIS 
ANCIENT PEOPLE, 
TO HIM WHOSE LABOURS FOR THE WELL-BEING OF HIS BRETHREN 
ARE NOT LESS KNOWN IN AFRICA THAN IN ASIA AND 
IN EUROPE, 
TO 

Sir MOSES MONTEFIORE, Bart., 

WHO IS AS MUCH HONOURED IN MOROCCO AND IN JERUSALEM 
AS IN LONDON, 
THIS WORK IS DEDICATED. 



PREFACE. 



I endeavour in the work thus presented to the 
public to give an account of what I saw and heard 
in a country almost as little known as any in the 
world. It was my habit while travelling in Mo- 
rocco to note down everything that seemed worth 
recording. But in order to make up for length of 
personal observation, I supplemented this with in- 
formation derived from residents in the country. 
In this respect I am especially indebted to Horace 
White, Esq., H.B.M. Consul, and to M. Lambert, 
at Tangier; to Charles Murdoch and George 
Hunot, H.B.M. Vice-Consul, Esqs., at Saffi; and 
to M. Beaumier, Consul of France, and Thomas 
Yule, George Broom, and Judah Yuly, Esqs., at 
Mogador. 

I own to being one of those who prefer a plain 
narrative, such as is found in the works of the 



vi 



PREFACE. 



older travellers, to those of more modern style, 
and even plead guilty to a desire to be instructive. 
While, therefore, every effort has been made to 
insure accuracy of statement, no one will, I hope, 
be disappointed at finding an entire absence of 
smart writing. 

One thing held in view has been to bring into 
notice, as much as possible, the incomparable 
climates to be found in Morocco for persons suf- 
fering from affections of the chest. 

The difficulty of travelling in Morocco accounts 
for the few books which have appeared on the 
subject in modern times. The work of Gerhard 
Eohlfs, " Adventures in Morocco," admirably, but 
anonymously, translated into English, is mainly 
taken up with what its name imports, it con- 
tains, however, much valuable information, and, 
even after allowing for the difficulty of arriving 
at truth in that country, some strange inaccu- 
racies. 

A. L. 



Not. 1, 1875. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

Voyage — Tangier . . ... . . 1 

CHAPTER II. 
An Excursion from Tangier 41 

CHAPTER III. 
Casa Blanca ......... 52 

CHAPTER IV. 
Mazagan 60 

CHAPTER V. 

Mogador ......... 67 

CHAPTER VI. 
Excursions from Mogador . . . . . .81 



Vlll CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VII. 

PAGE 

Journey to the City of Morocco 99 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Residence in the City of Morocco 122 

CHAPTER TX. 
The City and its neighbourhood . . . . lo7 

CHAPTER X. 
Morocco to Saffi 186 

CHAPTER XL 
Saffi . ........ 195: 

CHAPTER XII. 
Azamoor, and a ride at night ..... 20o 

CHAPTER XIIL 
The Country and the People . . . , .212 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Government, Law. and Military Power . . . 243 

CHAPTER XV. 
Education, Religion, Superstition?, the Healing Art . . 265 



CONTENTS. ix 
CHAPTER XVI. 

PAGE 

Agriculture, Domestic Animals, Manufactures, Money . 283 

CHAPTER XVII. 
Natural History and Sport 301 



APPENDICES. 
A, 

The Climate of Tangier 327 

B. 

The Climate of Mogador 329 

C. 

Section showing the distances from Mogador and eleva- 
tion above the sea-level of places between Mogador 
and the City of Morocco 334 

D. 

The Trade of Morocco 335 

E. 

The Drugs in use amongst the Moors . . . 345 



X 



CONTENTS. 



F. 

PAGE 

The Marriage of the Sharif of Wazan .... 361 

G. 

The Captivity of Mr. Butler . . . . . .362 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 





PAGE 


Moorish costume — full dress 


. Frontispiece 


lyjLctJJ Ul XtXUI VJvL/U &1J.U W .llJii -CA.UL11U1 o lUUl/tJ . 


TV) fn f& nri ftp 1 
jlc / tit/ e ijuuo x 


Tangier, the landing-place .... 


Q 

. . O 


V_/1U. lUaU Ul CUUill/1 V aUUUb JL ttllii lei . . 


7 


Village of conical-shaped huts . . . 


. . o*± 


IVTnfTCi /i rvT fY*rkm t n o eon 

-l.TjHJgdU.Ul llUUi tile oca .... 


71 




92 


Tail-piece, with camels .... 


. 121 




. 143 




. 144 


Map of the city of Morocco 


158 


Cabalistic charm against scorpions 


. 176 


Our halting-place on the Tensift . 


. 186 


Diagram to show the growth of an olive-tree 


. 202 




. 219 


Tail-piece, with tower .... 


. 242 


Section showing elevation of country between 


Mogador 


and the city of Morocco 


. 334 


Copper vessel for holding flower waters 


.358 




LoncLcrrv, Sampsoru Low &Co. 



Z.WeUer, Wu 1 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



CHAPTER I. 

TANGIER. 

It is hardly necessary at the present day to say 
how one arrived by sea at any particular place. 
Steam has made the shores of most countries 
easy of access, and in this respect Morocco, a 
country comparatively near England, forms no 
exception. But the circumstance which calls for 
remark is the fact, that far less is known of the 
interior of Morocco than of such remote countries 
as China and Japan. 

I left Southampton in the "Mongolia" on the 
afternoon of September 5th, 1872, and reached 
Gibraltar on the fifth day afterwards. It was a 
fair voyage, which, by the aid of agreeable society, 
passed pleasantly away. A word may be said 
here of the maligned Bay of Biscay. Its waters 
are often smoother than those of the Channel, 

B 



2 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Poets and ballad-mongers have done it injustice, 
and " Biscay's sleepless bay" is more frequently 
tranquil than is commonly supposed. 

It is not my intention to say anything about 
the famous Rock so often described, which I left 
on the day after my arrival. Communication is 
maintained between Gibraltar and Tangier by 
means of three small steamers, which, however, 
sail with little regularity. If, on account of 
adverse winds, a vessel requires to be towed 
through the Strait, one of the steamers is sent 
to her assistance ; and this and other causes make 
the time of departure always uncertain. 

The " Jackal," in which I embarked, was a 
small, dirty, but strongly-built steam-boat, well 
adapted for the tumbling water of the Strait. 
The mountains of the African coast, which were 
in view when leaving Gibraltar, stood out in 
bolder outline as we approached them. But the 
first clearly-defined object was the ruin of a 
Roman bridge close to the shore, and a short 
distance eastward lay the quaint old town. 

To do Tangier justice it should be viewed only 
from the sea, to put one's foot within its walls is 
to dispel an illusion. Its mosques and flat-roofed 
houses, batteries, and castellated walls give it a 
compact and even formidable appearance; but 
it is formidable only to the wild hordes of the 
country. A few broadsides from modern artillery 
would change it to a mass of ruins, and its anti- 



TANGIER. 



3 



quated guns would be powerless against a modern 
ship of war. 

There is no harbour at Tangier; the mole, 
built by the English more than two centuries ago, 
was destroyed by them when they abandoned the 
place. But the anchorage in the open roadstead 
is good, and the coast is not subject to the heavy 
surf which is such a drawback to all the southern 
ports. 

Our steamer anchored at a considerable dis- 
tance from the shore, and Morocco being advanced 
enough to value health, the first thing that ap- 
proached was the quarantine boat, in which sat a 
quasi-medical officer, an aquatic-looking Spaniard, 
who, without coming on board, soon despatched 
the formalities of his office. Other boats followed, 
into which the passengers transferred themselves, 
and were rowed so far as the shoaling water per- 
mitted. As soon as these grounded, a crew of 
yelling Jews rushed to meet us, up to their waists 
in water, and then commenced the fiercest com- 
petition for business possible to conceive. Un- 
happily, being a stranger, I became the centre of 
the tumult. It was almost as useless to resist as 
it was to remonstrate. All wanted to carry me 
to shore, and whereas only one could effect this, 
it almost seemed as though I should be torn limb 
from limb by the eager crowd. At last, having 
selected a lusty fellow and got astride his shoul- 
ders, I was landed on the beach. 

b 2 



4 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



The landing-place, called the Marina, consisted 
of a smooth portion of the sandy shore enclosed 
within walls. Here we were met by the captain 
of the port, a fine-looking Moor of commanding 
presence. We were then conducted to the Cus- 
tom-house, a mere shed, under which the tur- 
baned officials sat upon their mats. The scrutiny 
of our baggage, although rather exact, was effected 
with politeness. 

The competition commenced in the water was 
no less keen on land. A different, but no less 
eager, set of porters seized and squabbled over 
the luggage ; added to this, there was the same 
persecution from the touting tribe with which all 
travellers are familiar. To these gentry, who 
spoke a little of many languages, was entrusted 
the recommendation of the various hotels ; and, 
as usual, each represented the establishment to 
which he belonged to be the best in the world, 
and consequently greatly superior to that of any 
of its neighbours. Among these worthies there 
was a young Moor, conspicuous in his jacket of 
cherry-coloured cloth as well as by his confident 
bearing. This was the redoubtable Kador, who 
must be known to every one who visits Tangier, 
and who afterwards for some time followed my 
fortunes. Finding that he represented the Vic- 
toria Hotel, to which I had been recommended, 
I placed myself under his guidance. A stay of 
some weeks at this house afforded ample oppor- 



TANGIER. 



5 



tunity for observations of the town and neigh- 
bourhood, and these I shall now describe. 

In several respects there is an analogy between 
Dover and Calais, Gibraltar and Tangier. The 
respective places are separated by narrow straits 
almost of the same breadth. In both cases, when 
the narrow seas are crossed, the traveller finds 
himself in a country very unlike that he has 
recently left, the people being wholly different in 
language, habits, and mode of life. But if this is 
the case in the north the difference is tenfold when 
in the south he crosses from what may be termed 
a bit of England on outpost duty to the land 
of the Moor. No transformation effected by a 
fairy wand could well be more complete. Tangier, 
known to the Romans as Tingis, was the capital 
of their province, Mauritania Tingitana. It after- 
wards passed successively into the hands of the 
Goths and Saracens, and thus came into posses- 
sion of the mixed race known to us as the Moors. 
It was taken in 1471 by Alphonso, King of Por- 
tugal, after a severe struggle. King Edward, the 
father of Alphonso, had previously besieged the 
town, but had been compelled to beat a hasty 
retreat, and to leave his brother Ferdinand in the 
hands of the Moors as a security that Oeuta should 
be delivered up. 

England had at one time a great interest in the 
place. It formed part of the dowry of Catherine, 
the Infanta of Portugal, who married Charles II. 



6 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



But the gift, like the proverbial white elephant, 
caused more trouble than it was worth. It is 
probable that the Portuguese were only too glad 
to get rid of so worthless a possession, for only 
just before parting with it they met with a serious 
rebuff. The matter is thus described in Lord 
Sandwich's Journal, 1662 :— 

" Sunday, January 12th. — This morning, the 
Portuguese, 140 horse in Tangier, made a sally into 
the country for booty, whereof they had possessed 
about 400 cattle, thirty camels, and some horses, 
and thirty-five women and girls, and being six 
miles distant from Tangier were intercepted by 
100 Moors with harquebusses, who in the first 
charge killed the Aidill with a shot in the head, 
whereupon the rest of the Portuguese ran, and 
in the pursuit fifty-one were slain, whereof were 
eleven of the knights, besides the Aidill. The 
horses of the fifty-one were also taken by the 
Moors, and all the booty relieved. 

" Tuesday, January 14th. — This morning, Mr. 
Mules came to me from the Governor for the 
assistance of some our men into the castle. 

" Thursday, January 16th. — About eighty men 
out of my own ship and the Princess went into 
Tangier, into the lower castle about four of the 
clock in the afternoon. 

"Friday, January 17th. — In the morning, by 
eight o'clock, the Martyn came in from Cales 
(Cadiz) with provisions ; and about ten o'clock 



TANGIEE. 



7 



I sent Sir Pi chard Stayner with 120 men, besides 
officers, to the assistance of the Governor into 
Tangier." 1 

One hundred more men were sent from the fleet 
into Tangier on the 23rd; and, meanwhile, Lord 
Peterborough and the garrison having arrived 
from England, Tangier was handed over to him 
by the Portuguese, January 30, 1662. Next day 
Sir Richard Stayner and the sailors re-embarked. 

Great expectations were formed about Tangier, 
and it engaged, to a large extent, the attention 
of the Government of that period. Pepys, in his 
Diary, makes frequent mention of the place. A 
commission, presided over by the Duke of York, 
sat weekly to manage its affairs, and of this com- 
mission Pepys himself was treasurer. Large sums 
of money were voted by Parliament for the garri- 
son of horse and foot soldiers, and for strengthen- 
ing the fortifications. A magnificent mole, which 
extended nearly 2000 feet into the sea, was also 
constructed. This was strongly fortified with 
batteries, and a harbour was formed capable of 
containing the largest vessels. Old maps of the 
period, one of which is reproduced here, show that 
it must have been a secure harbour. 

The English, like the Portuguese, suffered 
severely at the hands of their wily enemies the 

1 Quoted by Lord Braybrook in his edition of " Pepys' 
Diary :" London, 1854, vol. i. p. 258. 



8 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Moors. The garrison lived in a state of perpetual 
warfare, and were constantly harassed by ambus- 
cades. Lord Peterborough being recalled in 1663, 
the Earl of Teviott was sent to replace him. This 
unfortunate nobleman was attacked by a noted 
Riff chieftain, named Guyland, at the head of a 
wild horde, and lost his life, together with nine- 
teen officers and a large number of men. This 
event is thus quaintly described by Pepys under 
date of June 2, 1664 :— 

" It seems my Lord Teviott' s design was to go 
a mile and a half out of the town, to cut down a 
wood in which the enemy did use to lie in ambush. 
He had sent several spyes ; but all brought word 
that the way was clear, and so might be, for any- 
body's discovery of an enemy before you are upon 
them. There they were all snapt, he and all his 
officers, and about 200 men, as they say; there 
being now left in the garrison but four captains. 
This happened the 3rd of May last, being not 
before that day twelvemonth of his entering into 
his government there ; but at his going out in the 
morning he said to some of his officers, ' Gentle- 
men, let us look to ourselves, for it was this day 
three years that so many brave Englishmen were 
knocked on the head by the Moors, when Fines 
made his sally out.' " 

Many other losses were subsequently incurred. 
Although the place was strengthened by redoubts 
erected on the neighbouring hills, the town was 



TANGIER. 



9 



constantly besieged by the Moors ; and, notwith- 
standing a lavish expenditure, it was found that 
the place was kept in bad condition owing to 
jobbery and a misapplication of funds. 

At length, in relation to Tangier, the nation 
became impatient of the constant drain upon its 
resources. Under date of April 9, 1667, Pepys 
writes that he told Sir W. Coventry, " It is plain 
that we do overspend our revenue ; it is of no 
more profit to the King than it was the first day, 
nor in itself of better credit, no more people of 
condition willing to live there, nor anything like a 
place likely to turn his Majesty to account ; that 
it hath been hitherto, and for ought I see, likely 
only to be used as a job to do a kindness to some 
Lord, or he that can get to be Governor." 

But worse than expense and loss of life was the 
impression which soon prevailed in the House of 
Commons, that the garrison of Tangier was fast 
becoming the nucleus of a Popish army. This 
was a death-blow to the place as an English colony. 
Lord Dartmouth was despatched to bring home 
the troops, and to destroy the work of the engineers. 
In a letter to Mr. Pepys, dated Jan. 11, 1683-4, 
his lordship says, " You will easily imagine the 
condition we have beene in, by the ill weather you 
have beene witness of where you have beene, but 
yet God be thanked, we have strugled in it so farr 
that the mole is totally destroyed; nay much 
more than you will imagine, till you see it." 



10 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Thus the place was given up after an occupa- 
tion of twenty-two years, and as there was no 
disposition to assist the Moors in their piratical 
expeditions the unfinished harbour was destroyed. 
When the tide is out the foundations of the mole 
can still be seen, and show the substantial nature 
of the structure. It was intended to make a 
splendid harbour, with depth of water between 
the pier-heads capable of floating a seventy- 
gun ship of the period. Since the evacuation 
by the English, Tangier has remained in pos- 
session of the Moors. Pepys says, " A fine map 
of Tangier was done by one Captain Beckman, 
a Swede." Many curious views of the place were 
made by Hollar, and some of them were engraved 
by him, and still exist. 

Lord Nelson declared that the possession of 
Tangier would be necessary to England in case 
she was at war with a maritime power. This was 
because Gibraltar depends for subsistence as much 
upon Morocco as it does upon Spain, which latter 
place might be hostile, or else be prevented from 
affording supplies. 

Like Tangier, the island of Bombay formed part 
of the dowry of the Infanta of Portugal, wife of 
Charles II. Who could then foresee the subsequent- 
value of that small possession, or what a focus for 
the extension of British power it has since become ? 
And although through mismanagement Tangier 
proved to be a worse than useless possession, it is not 



TANGIER. 



11 



improbable that bad it been retained it also would 
have become a centre endowed with a like vitality 
and with a similar power of growth. In that case 
a land far more accessible than India, with a soil 
and climate among the most favoured in the 
world, would now be yielding rich returns. 
Immense tracts which at present lie waste would 
be used for the growth of cotton ; and a strong, 
yet fairly -just government would exist in place of 
an uncertain and grinding tyranny. 

The bay of Tangier is well sheltered, and the 
anchorage is very good. The rise of tide at 
Gibraltar, just outside the tideless Mediterranean, is 
four feet ; at Tangier it reaches a height of six feet. 

The town is built on the sloping side of 
a promontory, which, with its fellow four or 
five miles to the eastward, forms the bay. The 
town is sheltered on the north and west by the 
hill under which it lies, and on the east by a range 
of low hills, while behind these and far inland the 
range of the Lower Atlas, which is visible from the 
Kasba, protects it from the scorching desert winds. 

The town nestles under a cliff. Of this the 
summit is expanded into a flat surface of about a 
mile in length, and a varying breadth not exceeding 
a few hundred yards. The side of the promontory 
farthest from the town is very precipitous, and 
overhangs the sea. There are here some curious 
excavations in the solid rock, supposed to have 
been Phoenician graves. 



12 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Wherever the Mahommedan dwells, the rigid 
jealousy with which women are guarded influences 
the style of his architecture. The houses have 
their backs turned to the streets, and as there are 
no windows the blank walls and flat roofs present 
a cheerless and monotonous appearance. A gate- 
way leads into the square or patio. Around this 
the house is built. The enclosure sometimes con- 
tains a fountain, and a fig-tree generally affords 
pleasant shade from the glaring rays of the sun. 

As seen from the sea, the houses of Tangier 
appear to stand one above the other like steps of 
stairs. As might therefore be expected many of 
the streets are very steep, and all, with the 
exception of the main street, are mere winding 
lanes, so narrow that in some of them the inhabi- 
tants might shake hands from opposite windows 
provided these existed. The pavement consists 
of rough stones, placed purposely, one would think, 
to make walking over them as difficult as possible. 
Blondin, who visited the place, left a memorial in 
the visitors' book of one of the hotels to the effect 
that it was needless for him to test his balancing 
powers here, " because he was able to say that he 
had walked both up and down the main street of 
Tangier and had not fallen." The drainage, 
although imperfect, is better than might be 
expected, and an attempt at keeping the streets 
clean has been made by the consuls. Dust-bins 
are things unknown to the natives of Morocco, 



TANGIER. 



13 



and all kinds of vegetable and animal offal is 
thrown into the streets. But this debris is now 
removed on the backs of donkeys, though there 
still remains much room for improvement. There 
are no bazaars on the scale usual in the East ; but 
the shops for various wares are for the most part 
mixed together. The shop is a small square 
cavity in the dead wall of the street, the floor 
being about two feet from the ground. Pigeon- 
holed in these recesses sit cross-legged, grave- 
looking men surrounded by their wares. The 
same floor serves the customer also for a seat, 
though his legs dangle in the street. In a 
few instances the introduction of European cus- 
toms may be observed in larger premises and glass 
windows. 

The principal street runs up the hill from the 
water-side to the Soko, or market-place, just out- 
side the walls. The upper part of this street is 
used by the female sellers of bread, milk, vege- 
tables, and fruit, who stand or sit ranged on each 
side. It is difficult for a stranger to find his way 
in the mazes of the smaller streets. But rich 
Moors and Jews possess good houses in these 
confined situations. There is no Jewish quarter 
in Tangier as there is in most Moorish towns, 
and the Israelites live peaceably amongst the 
general population. Some of the Consulates are 
good houses, and the residence of the British 
plenipotentiary has some fine apartments. But 



14 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOltS. 



the house of the Belgian Consul, although small, 
is a model of good taste. It is built and de- 
corated in the Moorish style of architecture, and 
contains a collection of Moorish articles and curi- 
osities. The owner is so obliging as to allow the 
house to be inspected by strangers on application. 

The batteries facing the sea were once formid- 
able. Overlooking one of them are the front 
windows of the Victoria Hotel, which is in fact 
built partly on the ramparts. I went over this 
battery in company with Colonel Matthews. The 
buildings are fairly in repair, but the absence of 
sentries and the lounging attitude of the few 
artillerymen in charge looked anything but war- 
like. I counted twelve iron thirty-six pounders 
and twelve smaller guns ; most of the latter were 
of bronze and English make. One of the bronze 
guns was a long thirty-two pounder Spanish gun, 
bearing the date of 1780. It had also a name, 
" Lastimoso," (the Pitiful,) engraved on it. The 
Spaniards used the practice of naming their guns. 
But why this particular epithet should be given to 
such a destructive implement is not obvious. The 
iron guns were in wretched condition, and the 
carriages of all were rickety affairs of rotting wood. 

The Kasba, or citadel, is situated on a height 
commanding the whole of Tangier, just as at 
Boulogne the upper town overlooks the lower one. 
A considerable space is enclosed by high walls, 
and in this are a large mosque, the harem of the 



TANGIEK. 



15 



Bashaw, the prison, and the treasury. I visited 
the prison, and obtained leave to inspect the 
prisoners through an aperture in their den, from 
which issued an effluvium that made a long in- 
spection undesirable. Not having then seen 
prisons in other parts of Morocco, I thought this 
damp, dark chamber as dreary and dreadful a 
place of confinement as could well be conceived. 
The prison for women is a separate, but adjoining 
building. The view of the town from the gate of 
the Kasba is remarkably fine. The white, glisten- 
ing houses, interspersed here and there with the 
green of the graceful palm, are thrown into the 
fullest relief by the intense blue of the contiguous 
sea. 

The Victoria Hotel is a house of modest pre- 
tensions, but a visitor must be fastidious who 
would be dissatisfied with its accommodation. 
Mr. Martin, the proprietor, understands the art of 
making his visitors feel at home. There is an 
excellent table d'hote, and the company, though 
seldom large, is constantly changing. Officers 
and their wives frequently come across for change 
from the garrison of Gibraltar. 

There are four other though smaller hotels, 
and for those who prefer a boarding-house Mrs. 
Carleton's establishment can be recommended. 
That Tangier is not an extravagant place may be 
gathered from the fact that the cost of living at 
the hotels (exclusive of wine) ranges from four 



16 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



to seven shillings a day. It is a sign of progress 
that scarcely more than twenty years ago there 
was bnt a single hotel in the town. 

A great event in the history of Tangier and of 
the whole state of Morocco took place in March, 
1873. A post-office, which is a branch of the 
Gibraltar office, was then opened. Tangier is 
now therefore regularly en rapport with the rest 
of the world. 

Spanish is the European language best known 
in Morocco. The geographical position of Spain 
partly accounts for this, though the intimate 
connexion long existing between the two countries 
has had still more influence. Most of the Moors, 
as well as the Jews, know Spanish more or less. 
English is only spoken by the commissionnaires 
attached to the hotels and a few others. 

Markets are held on Thursdays and Sundays, 
and on these days the town is filled with a motley 
crowd who come long distances from the sur- 
rounding country. Conspicuous among the num- 
ber are the men of the wild Riff tribes, who in- 
habit the mountains to the north of Tangier. 
They are a fine race, and are known by the long 
lock of hair left unshaven on one side of the head. 
On some occasions as many as a hundred camels, 
with half that number of tents, and a numerous 
throng of horses and asses may be counted in the 
Soko. It was a strange sight to see so many 
kneeling camels massed together, their huge 



TANGIER. 



17 



saddles projecting from their backs. All kinds of 
country produce were retailed in this market ; 
water-melons being a conspicuous article. To 
ward off the fierce glare of the sun some 
of the vendors were under temporary shades 
of palm leaves. Muffled women crouching 
over their wares, and showing but one eye to 
their customers, seemed stifled with heat, and 
itinerant sellers of water and of sweetmeats 
vociferously cried their goods. 

In the evening, when the sun gets low, the 
Soko is the resort of story-tellers and jugglers of 
various kinds, in whose tales and feats the Moors 
take great delight. There was one old fellow whom 
it was always a pleasure to listen to, although I 
never obtained more than a faint outline of his 
stories through an interpreter. Some of his tales 
we are familiar with in the Arabian Nights' 
Entertainments ; others were fables, in which the 
lower animals bore a leading part. A crowd of 
men and boys seated in a semicircle were in front 
of him, while the old man with the utmost 
vivacity and great skill suited his voice and 
movements to his stirring narratives. It was 
curious to observe the riveted attention, and hear 
the bursts of laughter of the swarthy audience. 
Copper coins were thrown to him pretty freely as 
a reward for his exertions. Snake-charmers also 
exhibited their feats, but these were inferior to what 
I afterwards witnessed in the southern capital. 

o 



18 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



The shadow of Europe under which Tangier 
lies has exerted its influence so far that, unlike to 
what happens in the interior of Morocco, Chris- 
tians are free from insult and annoyance. One 
may wander unmolested everywhere about the 
town and vicinity provided only that the pre- 
judices of the people are respected, and especially 
that their holy places are not too curiously in- 
spected. For unlike his co-religionist in Turkey, 
the Mussulman here has not relaxed sufficiently 
of the fervour of his faith even to allow the 
Kaffir — the name by which the Christian infidel is 
known — to set foot within the precincts of a 
mosque. A screen is always placed before the 
open door to prevent profane eyes from peering 
too closely into the building. 

As might be expected, remains of antiquity are 
found in Tangier and its neighbourhood. In the 
joatio of the Victoria Hotel there is a capital of 
an Ionic marble column, now hollowed out so as to 
form a cistern. Many such fragments have been 
found. About three miles from the town, on the 
shore of the bay, are some ruins supposed to be 
Roman. The place is called Tanja Baelea, or Old 
Tangier, and here was situated the Tingis of the 
Romans. Some fragments of the walls are of 
great thickness. At a short distance from the 
ruins the sands are crossed by a small river, once 
spanned by a fine bridge. One arch, unquestion- 
ably of Roman work, is all that now remains. 



TANGIER. 



19 



But the ruin is highly picturesque, and affords 
an interesting subject for the artist. 1 This bridge, 
it is supposed, connected the old city with the 
naval fort close at hand. The entrance for the 
galleys, built of stone, can yet be seen. 2 

There are several fine gardens outside the walls 
of Tangier. The most remarkable is that called 
the Swedish Garden, from its having formerly 
belonged to the Swedish Consulate. It is of 
considerable extent, and commands some fine 
views. The town, close at hand, lies spread out as 
if in a map, while looking far across the water the 
rock and fortress of Gibraltar may be distinctly 
seen. The garden contains some fine trees, and 
a splendid specimen of the Dragons' -blood-tree 
deserves special notice. The Dutch garden and 
vineyard are about four acres in extent, and being 
well supplied with water were formerly noted 
for the luxuriance, beauty, and variety of the 
shrubs and flowers. But its glories have de- 
parted, aud it is now overrun with weeds. Some 
splendid trees are all that remains. Nearly all 

1 Tangier has of late years been resorted to by our artists, 
and with good results, as the pictures of Mr. J. E. Hodgson at 
the Royal Academy Exhibitions sufficiently prove. 

2 Morocco is almost unexplored ground for the antiquary ; 
the northern division of the country contains many ruins. In 
the Athenceum for Sept. 18th and Oct. 30th, 1875, Mr. Trovey 
Blackmore has given a very interesting description of certain 
fourteenth-century tombs of the Sultan's in the deserted town 
of Sheila close to Rabat. The inscriptions on the tombs serve 
to verify historical dates. 

c 2 



20 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



the gardeners are Riff Mountaineers, who, notwith- 
standing their wild habits when at home, make 
excellent and faithful servants. 

The manufactures of the town are inconsider- 
able. There are some tanneries, and one adjoins 
the Victoria Hotel, from the windows of which 
the whole process of making leather can be seen, 
though it is not of the sort intimately associated 
with the name of the country. The principal 
trade is in bullocks for the supply of the garrison 
of Gibraltar. But even this is limited, as only 
a certain number of animals are allowed to be 
exported. Fowls, vegetables, and fruit in con- 
siderable quantities are also sent across the Strait. 
With the exception of canary seed, which is grown 
largely in the neighbourhood, the export of grain 
is small. 

There are some Moorish coffee-houses in Tangier, 
and I visited one with my guide. It was a moon- 
less night, and travelling over the uneven streets 
was difficult and even risky. At last, after grop- 
ing our way through many winding and narrow 
lanes, we came to a spot where a portion of the 
street was covered in by a roof of interlaced 
boughs. Beneath this a number of men were 
lying about, some singing, others asleep; the 
whole were an unprepossessing set to meet in the 
dark. At first we could only distinguish their 
white turbans and teeth ; but gradually their dark 
and stalwart forms became visible. Entering a 



TANGIER. 



21 



door close at hand we found ourselves in a small 
room with whitewashed walls and matted floor. 
Men were squatted about smoking cigarettes and 
drinking black coffee mixed with the grounds as 
in Turkey. There was the customary charcoal 
stove for boiling coffee; and the place, dimly 
lighted by an oil lamp, had a sufficiently lugubri- 
ous appearance. 

I could not learn that the Tangerines indulge to 
any extent in the use of hashish, although it is not 
unknown to them. It is to be regretted that the 
people are learning the use of alcoholic drinks from 
their neighbours. There are some drinking-houses 
kept by Christians and Jews where bad brandy 
and other stimulants are retailed ; and, notwith- 
standiog the injunctions of the Koran, the Moors 
are fond of indulging in them whenever a chance 
presents itself. 

The cost of living at Tangier is very moderate. 
The hotel charges have been already mentioned. 
Beef, though not of English quality, can be had 
for 2d. a pound. Mutton of fair quality at 
the same price ; ducks at Is., fowls at 9d., hares 
at 5d., and rabbits at 2\d. each. Wages have 
increased considerably within the last few years. 
The present hire of a labourer is from Id. to 9d. a 
day; or if a female, 4d. to 6d. Masons and car- 
penters are paid from 2s. to 3s. a day. 8 

3 It is curious to observe how the recent decline in the value 
of gold is felt in remote corners of the world. Thus in Iceland, 



22 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



For the space it occupies Tangier is a populous 
town. The population in November, 1872, was 
estimated at 14,600, in the proportion of 9000 
Moors, 5000 Jews, and 600 Christians. The 
number of Christians is greater than in any other 
town of the empire. There are two Roman 
Catholic churches, a large monastery, and a 
school ; the first being allowed the use of bells. 
There is no place for Protestant worship; but 
when a clergyman happens to be in the place, 
service is conducted at the Embassy. The Jews 
are allowed to have public synagogues, but they 
are unpretentious buildings. There are several 
Moslem schools for boys. 

The foreign officials at Tangier are numerous 
enough to form a society among themselves. 
These consist of three ministers plenipotentiary ; 
namely, those of England, France, and Spain ; and 
of the consuls of eleven powers; England, the 
United States of America, France, Spain, Portugal, 
Austria, Prussia, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, and 
Denmark. On Sundays the flags of the different 
nations give the town a gay appearance. 

The climate of Tangier is so very equable and 
pleasant that I have formed a high opinion of its 
suitability for invalids from chest affections. Its 
maritime position and the protection of mountain 
ranges on the south secure it against the scorch- 

a country with which I am familiar, prices have fully doubled 
between my first visit to the island (1862) and my last (1874). 



TANGIER. 



23 



ing heat to which the inland parts of Morocco 
are exposed. The desert winds, which are so 
objectionable in Algiers and other places on the 
Mediterranean littoral, are almost unknown. The 
ordinary summer temperature ranges between 
78° Fahr. and 82° Fahr., and the latter is rarely- 
exceeded. Th^ summer heat is maintained until 
the autumnal rains are established. As an exam- 
ple of the steadiness of temperature it may be 
stated that of twenty-three observations made by 
myself at almost every hour of the day and night 
between Sept. 15th and 23rd inclusive, the ther- 
mometer in my bed-room ranged between 72° Fahr. 
and 78° Fahr., while the mean was 74*2° Fahr. 
During this time the weather had broken up, and 
on one day there was heavy rain. The mean 
temperature of winter is about 56° Fahr., and 
fires are sometimes acceptable at night. Frost 
never occurs ; and in addition to the indigenous 
palms and other trees and shrubs of warm climates, 
many tropical plants, such as the banana, flourish 
throughout the year in the open air. 

The first rain falls about the middle of Septem- 
ber, and lasts from two to three days. This is 
succeeded by bright, exhilarating weather, the 
enjoyment of which is heightened by the change 
which the country now undergoes . Brown hills, that 
seemed hopelessly arid, are suddenly clothed with 
verdure, and the landscape is changed as though 
in an hour from death to life. All through Octo- 



24 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



ber the weather is just what the invalid could 
desire ; but in November there is generally rain, at 
times heavy rain for some days. After this the 
weather, both of winter and spring, the latter 
lasting till May, is mild and genial. Now and 
then a rainy day may occur; but even in the 
wettest winter weather it is very unusual not to 
be able to get out during some part of the day. 
The south-west wind sets in with the autumn rain 
and prevails in winter. Thunderstorms are un- 
frequent, and rarely happen with the first rain. The 
climate is moist, as shown by the facility with which 
iron rusts. But it is less moist than that of Madeira, 
between which and that of Algiers it holds, in this 
respect, an intermediate place. The advantages of 
climate possessed by Tangier over Gibraltar are 
freely acknowledged by the inhabitants of the 
Rock. They are constantly in the habit of crossing 
the strait in search of better air. 3 

Although, as already said, the sanitary arrange- 
ments are very imperfect, Tangier is a healthy 
place. Intermittent fevers sometimes occur, but 
they are not of a severe type. 

I received much kindness from Colonel Matthews, 
fche American Consul- General. Accompanied by 
this gentleman and Mr. Martin I visited the Grand 
Sharif of the empire, Hadj Abd es Salem, Prince of 

3 For further information of the climate of Tangier, see 
Appendix A. 



TANGIEE. 



25 



Wazan. 4 The object of the visit was to obtain a 
letter of recommendation to the Sultan, then on 
his way to his southern capital, where he had not 
been previously for five years. As I had resolved 
to visit the city of Morocco, the expected arrival 
of the Sultan there was regarded as a most fortu- 
nate circumstance. I had a long conversation, 
through the medium of Colonel Matthews, with 
the Sharif. He asked particularly if I would wait 
at Morocco for the Sultan, in case he had not 
arrived when I got there, to which I replied in the 
affirmative. Favoured by the representations of 
my friends, the Sharif gave me a kind and valuable 
letter addressed to Muley Hassan, the Sultan's son 
and heir. 5 The translation of the address on it 
was, " Caliph of our Lord enthroned, by the will of 
God, our Lord Hassan." What became of this 
letter, as well as what befell me in my attempt to 
deliver it, will be afterwards related. 

The Sharif was regarded, next to the Sultan him- 
self, as the most powerful man in the empire, and 
as he had never before given a letter of the kind to 
a European I was considered most fortunate. The 
Prince was about thirty-five years of age, of middle 
height, but rather too fat for active habits. His 
expression of face was pleasant, and showed that 

4 Since then the Prince has gained much notoriety in 
England through his marriage with Miss Keene, an English 
lady. See Appendix F. 

5 Since raised to the throne by the death of his father. 



26 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



he wished to be agreeable. He wore a fez, and 
was dressed in a suit of cherry-coloured cloth. As 
the hereditary head of the great religious sect 
of Muley Taib, and a lineal descendant of the 
Prophet, he is a great power in the Church, and, 
therefore, in the State, which, in Mahommedan 
countries, are inseparable. His influence not only 
extends throughout Morocco but over Algiers, 
where it is acknowledged by the French autho- 
rities. But the sect of which he is the head, and 
which is said to rival in subtlety and ambition that 
of the Order of Jesus, extends still further to the 
east, and has its ramifications even in Bombay. 
The Sharif is known to the Spaniards as El 
Santo, the Saint. He made great personal efforts 
in the war of 1859-60 to rouse the fanaticism 
of the Moors against the Spaniards. In one 
particular action, at which he was present, he 
so excited the soldiery that they charged with 
an impetuous, although fruitless, valour, that ex- 
cited the admiration of their enemies. The Sharif's 
duties are, ordinarily speaking, not onerous. It 
is enough that he is of the Prophet's blood. To 
obtain his blessing is considered worth money, 
and no inconsiderable part of his income arises 
from this source. He is regarded with super- 
stitious awe; and when he goes abroad in the 
country the people kiss the hem of his garment. 
He was said to possess large estates at Wazan, 
and to be altogether very wealthy. He is fond of 



TANGIEE. 



27 



shooting, and also, as people said, " of good 
living." It was also stated that he showed his 
preference for the English nation by his desire, 
above all things, to have an English wife. 

The Sharif has a small marine residence at 
Tangier, to which he occasionally resorts for 
change of air. The room in which he received 
us was furnished much in the European style, for 
which he evidently showed a decided preference. 
We sat upon chairs — a great innovation. There 
was a grand piano in the room and a handsome 
buhl table. But he was waited upon by a female 
black slave, and there were other indications that 
the European surroundings were exotic. 

Nevertheless it is a significant and hopeful fact 
that this high-class Mussulman has imbibed, from 
contact with Europeans, so much liberality and 
spirit of progress, as to adopt, to a great extent, 
their habits ; and this in spite of prejudices, and 
the possible ill-will of his fellow-countrymen. 

The Sharif conforms as far as possible to 
European customs. He no longer eats in the 
Moorish manner, and is very polite at table. He 
takes a great interest in the affairs of Europe, and 
the English illustrated papers afford him much 
amusement. He is also very fond of all me- 
chanical contrivances. In his family his rule is 
absolute. Seventeen female servants, some of 
whom are slaves, obey his slightest wish. At 
the present time there are four generations of one 



28 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOliS. 



family living in his house. All the servants are 
clothed and fed at his expense, but receive no 
wages ; the temporal honour, and possibly the 
eternal advantage, of serving this undoubted de- 
scendant of the Prophet, are considered sufficient 
payment. Children are sometimes dedicated to 
him at their birth, and these when old enough 
enter his service. 

While I was at Tangier news arrived from 
the Sultan that he had been victorious in his 
southern progress over the rebellious tribe of 
Anchi Hashid, Report said, that taking advan- 
tage of harvest time, when the tribe leaving their 
mountains are engaged in the plains, he attacked 
them with a large army. At first the mountaineers 
had the best of the fight, but being subsequently 
defeated, a great number of prisoners were taken 
and beheaded. Proclamation of the victory was 
made by a public crier, and great rejoicings were 
ordered. The Victoria Hotel shook with the 
report of the old guns which were fired off just 
beneath it. 

The Moors are fond of burning powder, and 
Lab Elbaroud, or powder-play, is a diversion in 
which they particularly delight. I went to the 
open space in the Kasba to see this performance, 
and a wilder sight could scarcely be witnessed. 
Several men stood opposite each other, and a 
dozen yards or so apart, as if about to dance a 
quadrille. They carried long guns and with their 



TANGIER. 



29 



loose dresses and turbaned heads looked gallant 
warriors. To stimulate their martial ardour a 
band of twelve blacks played on outlandish in- 
struments, in addition to a couple of drums and 
some timbrels ; the whole producing a din and 
crash of sounds the most amazing. It seemed, as 
I have said, as though the fcurbaned soldiers were 
about to dance a quadrille; but their evolutions 
were much more complicated. One man through- 
out acted as master of the ceremonies. The whole 
advanced, retreated, followed, threatened. Now 
a warrior who, with the sword of his adversary 
pointed at his heart, seemed about to be slain, 
would extricate himself from this dangerous posi- 
tion by a contortion of the body as wonderful as 
it was rapid. Next they fired at each other indi- 
vidually, then en masse. Nothing could exceed 
the savage gallantry of the whole affair. In 
European judgment the Moorish soldier is undis- 
ciplined ; but much training must be requisite to 
arrive at perfection in this mad species of mimic 
warfare. Our riflemen would be puzzled by some 
of the shooting postures : for the men discharged 
their long unhandy weapons while in every con- 
ceivable position, such as supported on an elbow, 
or on the soles of the feet, and while lying on the 
back, the side, or the face. In loading the guns 
the powder was never measured, but poured from 
the pouch into the hand. Neither was wadding 
used. The safety of the guns was perhaps due 



30 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



to this cause; but the report they made was 
remarkably loud. Another exercise consisted in 
throwing the gun with a whirling motion high in 
the air, and catching it with great dexterity while 
descending. In the performance of these various 
exercises there seemed to be the greatest rivalry 
between the various tribes. The Biffians, easily 
distinguished by the long tuft of hair on the side 
of the head, and by some peculiarities of dress, 
displayed great dash. The men of Sus were also 
conspicuous. At the conclusion of this wild pas- 
time all present fired several almost deafening 
volleys, of which the firing was executed well 
together. 

There is much marrying and giving in marriage 
at Tangier. The weddings take . place at night, 
and are made known by the usual expression of 
rejoicing, firing off guns, and monotonous music 
played on drums and a kind of flageolet. I fol- 
lowed one of the marriage processions as closely 
and as far as was prudent. There was no marriage 
ceremony, but the bride was conveyed to the house 
of her husband in a kind of box placed on the 
back of a mule. This box was supported on either 
side by men, and the lady's sash was tied around 
it as an indication of her presence within. Behind 
the mule came a band, as also a number of men 
carrying lanterns. The gunners went in front 
and kept perpetually firing. With these demon- 
strations the bride was paraded through several 



TANGIER. 



31 



streets, and was then taken to the bridegroom's 
house. 6 

One of the accessible sights of Tangier is a 
Jewish wedding. The Jews have no objection 
to the presence of strangers, and thus a good 
opportunity is afforded of seeing the ladies in 
all their glory. But many of the Jewish women 
of Tangier really require nothing to enhance their 
great beauty. It is, however, a beauty of the 
languid, voluptuous, and unintellectual type. Ac- 
cording to English ideas the ladies are too fat, but 
then fatness is at a premium in Morocco. 

I had a good opportunity of witnessing a 
wedding of the better class. It was attended 
by some of the consuls, as the bridegroom was 
an employe at one of the consulates. The cere- 
monies and festivities which attend a Jewish 
wedding in Morocco are protracted and expensive. 
Happy the man who goes well through all with- 
out a sense of fatigue, and a purse not unduly 
lightened. Several hundred pounds are often 
expended, and dowries are not common. 

In this matter, as in others, coming events cast 
their shadows before, and the Thursday — a fort- 
night previous to the actual wedding ceremony — 
is signalized by the performance of the Tesere el 
Gumleh. This consists in breaking a jar full of 

6 For a good account of a Moorish wedding, see the late Miss 
Perrier's amusing book, "A Winter in Morocco." The ex- 
perience of the author was, however, confined to Tangier. 



32 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



corn at the bride's chamber- do or, by which the 
wish is symbolically expressed that she may be 
fruitful. 

On the following Thursday the wedding fes- 
tivities (Nadr Azmung) commence. The bride- 
groom attends early service at the synagogue of 
which he happens to be a member, and all the 
congregation, as well as his own and the bride's 
relatives, afterwards breakfast with him. All 
again assemble at one p.m., and arrange them- 
selves for a spectacle on the galleries which sur- 
round the joatio of the bridegroom's house. In 
the space below a bull is then sacrificed by the 
priest cutting its throat. This is done amid an 
astounding din of music, accompanied by a 
peculiar mark of rejoicing practised by the older 
women, both Moors and Jews. It is called 
Taghareet, and consists of a sharp, continuous 
squealing sound, produced while the tongue is 
rapidly moved from side to side. Meanwhile the 
visitors, in succession, throw down money from 
the galleries, for the priest and attendants, into a 
cloth placed over the body of the bull. Then 
follows a method of encouraging generosity which 
recalls to mind that pursued at a charity dinner, 
where applause is proportioned to the subscrip- 
tions announced. The name of each person is 
shouted out by those below as he throws down 
his offering, accompanied by the words, Allah ma 
tazhar, flau hu flau ! (" God is with the merchant 



TANGIER. 33 

So-and-so") or Mr. So-and-so, as the case maybe, 
and the more he gives the more is he considered 
to have done honour to the happy couple. 

At the conclusion of this ceremony the bride- 
groom takes a bit of cotton wool, dipped in a 
mixture of honey and henna, and places it, 
together with a piece of silver money, upon 
the bride's head, as an omen of their future 
prosperity. 

On Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, a great 
gathering takes place at the house of the bride. 
This is called Abraz, and is an important cere- 
mony for the unmarried ladies, who attend 
arrayed in all their finery, and with a general 
intention to captivate beholders. The bride is 
seated on a dais at the end of a large room, while 
the spinsters sit ranged around the walls at each 
side of her. In the meantime the bridegroom, 
having first attended at the synagogue, entertains 
a large company at breakfast, during which hymns 
and sacred songs are sung. The single men of 
the party then accompany the bridegroom to the 
bride's chamber, where, as already said, the single 
ladies are " on view." It is upon these occasions 
that the young men select the fair ones to whom 
fancy directs them. In such a case the next step 
is to despatch a relative to the parents or guar- 
dians of his choice, and if the suit is accepted 
presents are sent to her, and then he proceeds, 
accompanied by his friends, to the lady's house, 

D 



34 MOEOCCO AND THE MOOES. 

and is formally engaged. After this — will any 
Englishman believe it? — according to the nsnal 
etiquette, the couple never see each other until 
the marriage ceremonies commence. As may be 
supposed, the girl herself has seldom any voice in 
the matter at all ; she has only to obey what has 
been decided upon by her friends. 

After the young ladies have been sufficiently 
stared at, the bachelors commonly amuse them- 
selves with a strange game. It is called Tiueff el 
Arras, and is a kind of judge-and-jury trial. The 
bridegroom is accused by some one present of 
some crime, and is condemned to receive a num- 
ber of lashes, for the infliction of which many in 
the company are provided with stout silken cords. 
The culprit then demands to be ransomed by his 
bride, who divests herself of all her jewels and 
trinkets, and hands them over for his redemption. 
The accusation and the ransom also apply to 
young men of the company who are supposed to 
have an eye upon ladies present. In any case, if 
the ransom is declared insufficient or if the lady 
refuses to pay it, the accused is raised upon the 
back of some strong fellow while the others 
belabour him soundly. 

When this horse-play is over and the jewellery 
has been returned to its owners, the young men 
disperse ; but they return, accompanied by the 
bridegroom, in the evening, when this long-suffer- 
ing individual, mounted on the backs of two men, 



TANGIER. 



35 



is danced up and down before his bride, and then, 
amidst a great tumult of music and shouting, is at 
length allowed to take his seat beside her. A mix- 
ture containing leaven, Hamirat, is now set before 
them, in which both dip their hands in token of their 
future thrift and attention to domestic duties. After 
this a grand supper is given, at which the bride 
and bridegroom are seated side by side on a sort 
of throne. This supper in the case of the wealthy 
is often a sumptuous feast, but a rigid etiquette 
forbids the bride to take anything except water, 
which a little girl, who sits beside and fans her, 
now and then raises to her lips. For all this time 
the poor bride's eyes are firmly closed, and she 
sits amidst the revelry as immoveable as a statue. 
The musicians now play their loudest and merriest 
tunes, and, like the priest and his followers, are 
rewarded by the guests. The donors' names are 
cried out in the same manner as before, and also 
that the gifts are presented in honour of the 
bride and bridegroom and the assembled company. 

A ceremony takes place on the succeeding Tues- 
day evening, from which it is called Layl el Henna 
(the " Henna Night "). The bridegroom goes, as 
before, with a crowd of followers to the bride's 
house, and, seating himself beside her, applies 
henna to her hands, by the reddish stain of which 
their beauty is supposed to be enhanced. He 
now also removes a ring from her finger or a 
bracelet from her arm, and wears the one or the 

d 2 



36 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



other until after the nuptials have been finally 
celebrated. Another grand supper, with the 
usual uproar, follows. 

On the following day, "Wednesday, the real 
wedding at last takes place. The bride is 
then conducted after dark to her future home, 
accompanied by a crowd of relatives and lookers- 
on. Men bearing huge wax candles and lanterns 
give light to the procession. This is preceded by 
musicians and dancing women, playing and sing- 
ing hymns of joy, and also by the elderly ladies, 
who keep up the taghareet with great vehemence. 
As for the bride herself, she is led with closed 
eyes along the rough street by two relatives, each 
having hold of one of her hands. Such, indeed, 
is the regard paid to propriety on this solemn 
occasion, that the bride's head is held in its 
proper position by a female relative who walks 
behind her. This precaution is taken, perhaps, 
on account of the tiara decorating her head, and 
which, ending in a high point, has a gauze veil 
drooping gracefully therefrom. The bride having 
reached her destination, she and the bridegroom, 
with the " law" bound on his forehead, ascend a 
dais, and the marriage ceremony at once proceeds. 
The proper service and legal settlements are read 
aloud ; the ring is placed by the bridegroom on 
the bride's finger, or else a piece of gold or silver 
is given to her by him. A glass of wine is then 
blessed by the priest, and presented in turn to 



TANGIER. 37 

the couple, who drink the wine. The glass is 
then dashed to pieces against the ground by 
the bridegroom, with a covert meaning that 
he wishes they may never be parted until the 
glass again becomes perfect. After offering con- 
gratulations the visitors disperse. 

Next day the bride sits in state to receive pre- 
sents of jewellery, gold lace, silk handkerchiefs, 
or money, which are placed in her lap; and for 
some days afterwards entertainments, according 
to the position and circumstances of the people 
concerned, continue to be given. Some weddings 
cost a great deal of money, and as many as 150 
persons sup or dine at one time. 

At the conclusion of the wedding at which I 
was present, sweetmeats were handed round, as 
also sweet drinks ; but their flavour was not appre- 
ciated by my unaccustomed palate. 

The dresses of the bride and other ladies were 
truly gorgeous. Silk, in many-coloured hues, was 
bravely set off by lavish adornment of gold em- 
broidery in rich and peculiar patterns ; and gaily- 
coloured silk handkerchiefs tied about the head 
contrasted admirably with dark and flowing 
tresses, brunette complexions, and languid kohl- 
stained eyes. A finer set of women it would have 
been difficult to find. 

When the ceremony was concluded the two 
principal guests — in this case consuls — walking on 
either hand of the bride and holding it, led her 



38 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



through, every room of her new house. She was 
then placed sitting in bed with her back against 
the wall, to open her eyes at leisure, with one of 
her friends beside her. My visit then ended. 

The Jewish maiden wears her hair uncovered ; 
but at the close of the proceedings I have just 
described the bride's head is formally enveloped in 
a handkerchief after the manner of matrons. This 
covering is worn ever afterwards. 

Such is the routine which custom imposes on 
the Jewish man and woman of the wealthier class 
in Morocco, who wish to enter the matrimonial 
state. If a man be at all lukewarm on the subject, 
the prospect of such an ordeal must often turn 
the scale against marriage. The disparity in age 
is often great ; sometimes a girl of ten years of 
age is married to a man of forty or fifty. 

Mount Washington, which is situated about 
three miles south of Tangier, is a name which has 
been given by the Americans to an elevation rising 
to about three or four hundred feet above the sea. 
I made several excursions to it. The way lay 
through the market-place, thence by a bridle-track 
over an open, sandy country. This presently 
merged into narrow lanes, by which access was 
gained to the villas and gardens of the towns- 
people. The vegetation here was very luxuriant, 
the hedges being formed by the impenetrable 
cactus, and shade obtained by lines of reeds, many 
of which grew to a height of fifteen feet. Aloes 



TANGIER. 



39 



were also abundant, their spikes varying from 
fifteen to twenty feet. The chief road, which was 
so roughly paved as to resemble in many places 
the dried-up bed of a winter torrent, was skirted 
with wild myrtles, olive-trees, vines, and our own 
familiar blackberry. 

Apart from these beautiful environments, Mount 
Washington itself is a charming spot, well worthy 
of a visit. Chiefly facing the north-west and the 
sea, it is of considerable extent ; and, as may be 
supposed, splendid and varied views of the broken, 
rugged coast-line and the blue strait are obtained 
from its acclivities and summit. It is mainly 
composed of sandstone, and has an abundance of 
pure water, though some of the springs are im- 
pregnated with iron and others with sulphur. 

Mount Washington would make an admirable 
site for a winter sanatorium, for the influences of 
a fine climate would be operative at a height suffi- 
cient to secure fresh air without the disadvantages 
attending a greater elevation. To advantages of 
this kind would be added the exhilarating effects 
of fine scenery, and of a luxuriant vegetation. 
Several of the foreign residents at Tangier — the 
British Ambassador among others — have country 
houses on this hill. Mr. White, our Consul, has 
a villa at its foot close to the sea, and here I was 
hospitably entertained. In the terraced garden 
were a great variety of exotic plants and trees, 
in the cultivation of which Mr. White delights. 



40 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Mr. Martin showed me another finely-situated 
villa, which he was getting into order for the 
occupation of visitors to this genial clime. The 
grounds were well planted, and one tree which 
flourished there struck me particularly on account 
of its beauty and the fine shade it afforded. It 
was a species of chestnut, having leaves very much 
larger than our chestnut-tree — Gastanea vulgaris. 



CHAPTER II. 



AN EXCURSION FROM TANGIER. 

Taking a soldier for protection and Kador as guide 
and interpreter, I made an excursion to the south 
of Tangier on the road to Larache. The weather 
was still (Sept. 12) very hot, and when beyond 
the shelter of the town the heat was increased by 
a strong, oppressive east wind. Kador and I rode 
wiry little horses of good mettle, and the soldier 
was mounted on a mule. For a long time our 
way was over a succession of small elevations like 
sand-hills on the sea- shore. The chief vegetation 
of this tract was the palmetto, which grew in 
tufts, having sandy, arid spaces between them. 

We passed a great number of Moors returning 
from market with camels, horses, and mules. 
These were the only signs of industry seen on the 
road. At two hours from Tangier my aneroid 
showed that we had reached a height of 400 feet 
above the sea. At this spot there was a well, but 
the water, from being constantly disturbed by the 
feet of animals, was very dirty. Yet water in 
such a sultry atmosphere is indispensable, and 



42 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOOES. 



I learned from Kador how to extemporize a filter. 
Unloosening a fold of his turban he stretched it 
across the vessel, thus straining the water as he 
drank. In this way we imbibed the tepid liquid. 
Beyond this well we traversed an extensive plain, 
partially cultivated with maize and durrha or 
millet. In the fields we passed we observed Moors 
lying about, prostrated, apparently, by the heat ; 
whilst here and there one would be observed praying 
in a squatting position, the hood of his jelabeer so 
stuck up as to give to his, thus cone-shaped, figure 
the look of a white extinguisher. No Moor, of all 
we saw, was doing any kind of work. We passed 
the tomb of a Moorish saint. It was a small, white- 
washed, but ruinous, square enclosure, surmounted 
by a white flag. These places, although as in this 
case close to the road, may not be approached by 
Christian or Jew without risk of giving deadly 
offence. 

Leaving the plain we reached the summit of 
a range of hills running in a north-easterly 
direction, their height at the point we crossed being 
barely 400 feet. On the southern slope the stunted 
oak-trees and wild olives formed a forest that 
afforded shelter to wild boars and more dangerous 
occupants. Until recently these hills were the 
resort of numerous outlaws. Here we passed two 
guard huts made of branches of trees, each hut 
sheltering four guards in a crouching attitude. 
Further on the trees and scrub had been recently 



AN EXCURSION FROM TANGIER. 



43 



burned, so that over a large tract nothing could 
lie concealed. Kador said this had been done to 
save the expense of watching. Upon hearing this 
I naturally asked, " Why had not the whole forest 
been burned?" To this Kador replied with a 
knowing laugh, " Sultan want part to make 
money." The fact is, that a toll equivalent to a 
penny for every camel, horse, and mule, and of a 
halfpenny for each donkey, is exacted at these 
huts on pretence of guarding the pass. It took 
us three-quarters of an hour to cross this moun- 
tain, the ill-omened name of which was Malhamra. 
Thence we descended into a ravine, and a few 
minutes afterwards reached our stopping-place, a 
village situated on the slope of a hill. Reckoning 
the pace of the mule at four miles an hour — and it 
never stopped or slackened when once set going, 
— the distance of this village from Tangier was 
nineteen miles. Its ruler was one Busellam 
Boisha. Until a few months previously he had 
been the Sheik and tax-farmer over a large dis- 
trict, but having been outbought by a rival he 
was now only headman of his own village. He 
was a thick-set, very dark, pleasant-looking per- 
sonage of about forty years of age. I had intended 
to commence roughing it by sleeping in the open 
air, but the Sheik insisted on my using a bell-tent 
of his, which was soon erected under the shade of 
some old trees close to the village mosque. My 
dinner was cooked in his house close at hand. I 



44 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



like the contrast of rough life for a time, and in 
some respects matters were more than rough 
enough to meet my views. For instance, salt 
being wanted, some filthy-looking, coarse stuff 
like gravel was brought in by Hamet, the Sheik's 
son, who transferred it from his own dirty hand 
to that of his father, which formed my saltcellar ; 
but the milk was excellent, and the water-melons 
fine and acceptable. 

During dinner the Sheik sat with his eyes fixed 
persistently upon me. He was not only inquisi- 
tive but very candid. He inquired the price of 
meat in England, and when informed, wished with 
a sigh that he could send his bullocks there. 
When told that London contained nearly four 
millions of people, he simply observed that he did 
not believe the statement. The front part of his 
head presented the marks of two frightful sword- 
gashes received in a terrible fight. With regard 
to the outlaws of the neighbouring hills, it was 
alleged that it was a very long time since any murder 
hadbeen committed, and to make the assertion more 
forcible it was added that it must be about two 
years. The Sheik had two wives ; the one brown 
and free, the other black and a slave. Kador 
spoke of him as being very rich in flocks and 
herds, and I was told afterwards in Tangier that 
from 1000Z. to 1500?. would fully represent the 
value of his property. 

My bed, which was merely a mat laid on the 



AN EXCURSION FROM TANGIER, 



45 



ground, was not only hard but hot, for the night 
was almost as sultry as the day. About midnight 
I was suddenly wakened, and, being alone, for a 
moment panic-stricken by the presence in the 
tent of what seemed to be some wild beast from 
the adjoining forest. It proved to be, however, 
only a large hungry dog from the neighbouring 
village, which, in search of food, had jumped the 
pack-saddle that partially closed the tent door. 
Unfortunately for me, this first attempt having 
proved successful, it was repeated again and again ; 
and thus, in spite of maledictions, as soon as I 
dropped off to sleep so surely was I roused by 
that persistent dog. 

One of the objects of my journey was to reach 
a river called Wad Mather, which flows near the 
village. It abounds in shebbel, sometimes called 
the salmon of Barbary, and although not known 
to take the fly I was ambitious of trying my skill, 
and, if possible, adding it to the list of fish in 
which the angler delights. I was up early on the 
following day, and a walk of about half a mile 
brought me to the river. It was about forty 
yards wide, with banks which were flat and 
uninteresting. I had soon the satisfaction of 
seeing the shebbel rise repeatedly, sometimes with 
merely an eddy in the water like a large trout, 
but more frequently jumping high above the 
surface. It was a slender, clean-looking fish, 
apparently from two to three pounds in weight. 



46 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Kador said the fish jumped out of the water 
because they were fighting with each other ; so 
little do the Arabs know or care about things of 
the kind. Twice a shebbel rose to my fly, but, 
although for full an hour various sea-trout flies 
were tried, I was unsuccessful in landing a fish. 
This could hardly be wondered at considering the 
state of the weather, the sun being excessively 
hot and bright, with a strong east wind blowing. 
It is to be regretted that I had but this one 
opportunity of fishing at this place, but it was at 
least made certain that this fine fish will, under 
favourable circumstances, afford good sport to the 
angler. On getting back to the tent the thermo- 
meter was found standing at 90° Fahr. It was thus 
too hot to do anything, so we all went to sleep. 

I tried to tempt the Sheik by the present of a 
revolver to get me a shot at a wild boar. But 
although these animals are numerous in the neigh- 
bourhood they are not easily seen. The Sheik 
excused himself by saying that he was building 
and could not leave his workmen. A wall was 
being made in connexion with the mosque, but 
the work seemed more like that of children in play 
than of men in earnest. The most exacting trade- 
unionist could not find fault with the manner in 
which the Moors contrived to show a minimum of 
result for the pay they received, whatever that 
might be. 

In the evening I went out shooting through a 



AN EXCURSION FROM TANGIER. 



47 



beautiful glade. It was flanked by picturesque, 
over-hanging rocks, and finely wooded with 
clumps of trees like an English park. A great- 
flock of black goats were passed, which followed 
the call of a man to their night quarters like so 
many dogs. Three or four hares were seen, and 
a few partridges, a brace of which were bagged. 
Close to the tent a huge scorpion was found, 
which, having first disabled with a stick, I managed 
to get into my cigar-case. The prize was exhibited 
to Kador, who, believing I was ignorant of the 
malignant nature of the creature, exclaimed with 
a sense of feeling and an earnestness for which one 
would hardly have given him credit, " Throw it 
down, it a bad thing. God, it kill you ! " 

The Sheik's house, which was a little distance 
from the tent, was a long, narrow building covered 
with thatch, and resembled an Irish cabin without 
a chimney. A considerable space around it was 
enclosed with a strong hedge of cut, thorny shrubs. 
Into this his cattle and flocks were driven at night . 
The few dwellings which formed the village were 
constructed on the same principle, but on a smaller 
scale. 

The mosque was literally founded on a rock, 
which cropped above the surface. Its walls were 
of rough boulders rudely put together, and its 
roof was of thatch in want of repair. The in- 
terior, though small, was not unlike a country 
smithy, but the floor was scrupulously clean. 



48 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



It being Friday and the Mahommedan sabbath, 
I had the fullest opportunity of observing what 
went on in the mosque. There seemed to be a 
perpetual Sunday school. It commenced at 5 a.m. 
and was continued until 8 p.m., and whenever I 
returned to the tent the same service or form was 
being carried on. Half a dozen boys sat in front 
of the teacher, who, stick in hand, was prepared 
to punish any show of inattention on the part of 
his scholars. The portion of the Koran they were 
engaged in committing to memory was written on 
a board, which was passed from hand to hand. 
One boy after the other took up the recitation in 
a loud, sing-song, monotonous tone. It must be 
granted that only a strong religious feeling could 
suggest this troublesome discipline. The fanati- 
cism of the Mahommedan is respectable because in 
matters of faith he is painstaking and generally 
consistent. 

As there was little or no twilight, it was dark at 
seven o'clock ; and this confined me to the tent and 
such amusement as the society of Kador afforded. A 
specimen of our conversation, taken from my notes, 
may not be uninteresting. Kador' s great object, 
he said, was to make the Mecca pilgrimage ; and, 
if possible, to die in the holy city for the sake 
of a glorious immortality. Should he return, no 
money would thenceforth tempt him to travel with 
a Christian. Then, in the fervour of enthusiasm, 
Kador exclaimed, " Come with me to Mecca ! I'll 



AN EXCURSION FROM TANGIER. 



49 



swore you'll go the Heaven." To which, having 
replied that my ignorance of the Koran would be 
a serious obstacle, he began to give me the first 
lesson : " La illah, ilia Allah ; " but he was inter- 
rupted and sternly rebuked by the soldier, who 
was a more serious Mussulman. The truth was 
Kador was lax in his conduct notwithstanding his 
professions. Although he would not eat with 
me, he drank my brandy only too freely — a very 
unorthodox proceeding. 

Kador was proud of his knowledge. He in- 
formed me that " thousands of Moors, ignorant, 
know nothing, like wild boars ; never sick, never 
dead, never anything." By this he intended to 
convey that they never think of sickness, death, or 
anything. He also told me that tigers are common 
in England, and that Lord St. Maur had been 
killed by one there while engaged in hunting. 
The foundation for this legend was the fact that 
this nobleman had been, some time previously, at 
Tangier for his health and died soon after leaving. 

On the following morning I obtained the aid of 
a local sportsman, who took me through some 
millet fields, where fair sport at partridges was 
obtained. He brought us also to a garden be- 
longing to his father. The old man gave us 
delicious water-melons, the most refreshing of all 
things under a burning sun. His garden was 
provided with an irrigating wheel, which is not 
seen often in Morocco. 

E 



50 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



My breakfast, on returning to the tent, con- 
sisted of partridges and fresh figs. The cookery 
was not bad, except that the butter used by the 
Moors spoils everything with which it is used on 
account of its rancid taste. 

The mosque proved to be used for various 
purposes besides those of religion ; as a town-hall 
for the villagers to discuss their affairs in, and as 
a dressing-room for the Sheik. I saw him hav- 
ing his head shaved, and other personal matters 
attended to in the holy edifice. The Sheik took 
a very inconvenient fancy to my rifle. Wanting, 
he said, to conciliate a certain governor in the 
interior, he wished to present him with the weapon. 
But, even under this pressure, its ownership was 
not changed; and he was obliged to be content 
with other compensation for his services. 

We left the village on our return to Tangier, 
shortly after midday, and soon overtook a man 
coming with merchandize from Arzilla. He in- 
formed us that on the previous day before he left 
that place there had occurred a sad event. A Jew 
boy was seen drinking, by some fanatical Moors, 
at a sacred fountain just outside the town. They 
instantly killed him by cutting his throat. So 
much for freedom of action in a country where 
coroners and juries are alike unknown. 

Though women are jealously guarded in Morocco, 
their condition among the lower orders is far from 
enviable. We met one groaning under the weight 



AN EXCURSION FROM TANGIER. 



51 



of a huge load of household goods, while her 
husband stalked on a few yards in front with no 
encumbrance whatever except his gun. It was 
late in the afternoon when we arrived in Tangier. 



CHAPTER III. 



OAS A BLANC A. 



I left Tangier for Mogador in the French packet 
Verite, on the afternoon of September 23rd. 
We steamed along the rock-bound lofty coast to 
Cape Spartel, seven miles from Tangier. This is 
the western extremity of the northern shore of 
Africa. It is the point often first made by vessels 
going to the southern ports ; and also, before 
turning eastward, by those bound for the Mediter- 
ranean. For this reason a lighthouse has been 
established here by the maritime European nations. 
It is the only one in the empire, and was erected by 
a Belgian engineer on a spot granted by the Sultan, 
and declared to be neutral ground. It is a 
substantial structure in the Moorish style of 
architecture, and its commanding position on a 
high plateau adds to its effectiveness. The ad- 
ministration of this lighthouse is undertaken in 
turn by the various consuls at Tangier. The 
extreme point of land is formed by a large rock 



CASA BLANC A. 



53 



that projects high from the water. Of this the 
sides are worn, by the action of the waves, into 
the most fantastic shapes. The beautiful paper 
nautilus is found about this Cape. Not far from 
the lighthouse and close to the sea, there is a 
remarkable cavern of large extent within which 
millstones are quarried on a somewhat extensive 
scale. The stones intended for the small hand- 
corn-mills used throughout the country are, when 
conveyed to Tangier, sold at about six shillings 
each. 

After turning the right angle of land of which 
Spartel forms the apex, our way lay well clear of 
the coast in a south-westerly direction to Casa 
Blanca, our first stopping-place. The run of 
160 nautical miles from Tangier to Casa Blanca 
occupied nineteen hours. The morning of our 
arrival was dull and rainy, with a strong south- 
west wind blowing. The roadstead is quite un- 
protected, and a heavy sea was rolling in from 
the Atlantic. This made the vessel a veiy un- 
comfortable resting-place as she lay at anchor 
about half a mile off the town. Steam was kept 
up in constant readiness, so as to enable us to get 
away at a short notice from the treacherous coast. 
Seven or eight schooners at anchor close to us 
were dancing madly to the wild music of the 
wind. The one thought uppermost among the 
passengers in the steamer was to get out of the 
discomfort. But it often happens that steam- 



54 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



vessels with passengers and cargoes for the 
different coast towns are compelled to pass one or 
more of them without stopping, or else, having 
delayed a day or two, are obliged to leave without 
communicating with the shore. 

It was long before any boats put off to us, and 
when they did arrive there was another long 
delay ; for we had to summon resolution to get 
into them, and to parley as to the exorbitant 
demands of the Moorish boatmen. No wonder 
that these fellows ask to be well paid for their 
perilous work. It is no uncommon thing on this 
coast for boats to be upset and lives lost in the 
tremendous surf. What makes the idea of being 
upset particularly unpleasant is the presence of 
great numbers of hammer-headed sharks, as these 
voracious creatures abound all along the coast. 
Only a few months previously four masters of 
vessels that lay in the roads, three sailors and a 
Moor, were drowned by the upsetting of a ship's 
boat, while attempting to navigate it through this 
dangerous piece of water. The Moorish boats are 
large, high in the bows, and strongly built. They 
are rowed by four men with short clumsy oars 
which an English boatman would disdain to 
handle. 

At last we left for the shore, and my first im- 
pressions of an African surf are not to be forgotten. 
Once within its clutches it was a neck- or-no thing 
game, and if ever delay was dangerous it was 



CASA BLANOA. 



55 



here. Watching the opportunity outside the 
seething water, the men impelled the boat with 
their utmost strength on the crest of the ingoing 
wave. The tremendous velocity gained by this 
impetus caused, for an instant, the boat to rise 
high in the air on the swelling surface, and then 
as suddenly dip down the sheer descent of the 
subsiding water. This was the critical moment ; 
for were not the crest of the next wave as rapidly 
gained, that which followed inshore would swamp 
the boat. The wild excitement of the scene 
beggars description. With wild shouts and fran- 
tic gestures, the reis, or captain, at the helm urged 
the crew to renewed exertions ; and they, straining 
every nerve, yelled like madmen in response. 
Some Jews in the boat cowered down and looked 
like lifeless bundles ; but though the foam dashed 
over passengers and crew alike, we were all, thanks 
to Moorish strong arms, soon safely landed, and 
with no greater inconvenience than a thorough 
wetting. 

Dar el Beida, or Casa Blanca, " White House," 
was built on the ruins of Anfa, a town said to 
have been founded by the Romans. Anfa was 
destroyed in 1468 by the Portuguese, but they 
abandoned the place in 1515, soon after they had 
rebuilt and renamed the town. The plain on 
which it is placed is of great extent and very 
fertile. 

If we must acknowledge disappointment on 



56 



MOEOCCO ASD THE MOOES. 



landing at Tangier, it was greater still in the case 
of Casa Blanca. Viewed from the sea its compact- 
looking walls, batteries, and couple of minarets, 
give it a respectable appearance; but inside the 
walls it is the dirtiest, most tumble-down place 
ever seen. Some of the Consulates are substan- 
tial buildings, but most of the other houses are in 
bad repair. There are also many waste spaces. 
Of these not a few are covered with reed huts, in 
which when we saw them many Arabs, wretchedly 
poor, were encamped. The streets and open 
spaces were covered with fetid pools of stagnant 
water ; and in these, as elsewhere, was every 
species of abominable filth. The wonder alto- 
gether was how people could exist in such a place, 
and, as might be expected, the public health was 
at a low ebb. The population is about 4000, of 
whom a large proportion are native Jews, and 
about a hundred are Europeans. Remittent fever 
had greatly prevailed, and the mortality among 
the Jews, in connexion with whom the number 
had been alone ascertained, had for some time 
been at the rate of ten or twelve daily. Some 
Europeans had also died, and one of our pas- 
sengers from Tangier was a priest belonging to 
the Spanish Mission, sent by that religious body 
to fill up a vacancy. The worst climate on the 
African coast could hardly show a higher rate 
of mortality. When I returned here (November 
6th) this had not materially lessened. The 



CASA BLANOA. 



57 



cholera epidemic of 1868 lasted nearly seven 
weeks, during which 563 persons fell victims to 
the disease. Notwithstanding all this sickness, 
the place does not contain one European medical 
man. 1 

I walked round the walls, which were twenty 
feet high and made of tabia. They were sup- 
ported at short intervals by square buttresses, 
and at longer intervals were small, square, castle- 
like towers, like those left to us in the town 
walls of medieval England. The country all 
round was flat and marshy, but there were good 
fig-orchards, and some fine palm-trees. The 
castor-oil shrub grew luxuriantly, as did also the 
aloe-plant ; and it may be worth remarking that 
I did not observe the latter in any of the places I 
visited to the south of Casa Blanca. Just outside 
the gate on the land side was the slaughtering- 
ground, where the offal of animals festering in 
the hot sun added to the pollution of the town. 
Fortunately it was well supplied with water, though 
this was also sadly polluted. The town was 
skirted on its southern side by a stream, made 
serviceable in turning the wheel of a little flour- 
mill. This wheel was horizontal, and though of 
the rudest construction was on the principle of 
the turbine-wheel lately introduced from America 
into England as a great novelty. Close at hand 

1 Le Cholera au Maroc en 1868. Par A. Beaumier. Paris, 
1872. 



58 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOI:S. 



was a well-kept saint-house of large dimensions. 
Within the surrounding enclosure grew a graceful 
palm-tree, the rich foliage of which relieved the 
glare of the whitewashed walls. 

At Casa Blanca we could obtain no reliable 
news of the Sultan. But a vague rumour was 
afloat that fighting had been going on in the 
interior. How difficult it would be in England 
to realize the existence of an army in the field 
constantly engaged with the enemy, say in the 
Midland Counties, and yet no particulars as to 
its movements be current in London. Yet the 
distance would not be probably greater than that 
between the Sultan and his Casa Blanca lieges. 
The condition of things in Morocco was somewhat 
similar to that of England when the Norman 
William invaded our shores, and the high roads 
of the kingdom were mere track- ways. 

The exports of Casa Blanca chiefly consist of 
maize and beans. This and Mazagan are the 
chief ports for these articles of produce ; and in 
addition Casa Blanca exports more wool than any 
other place on the coast. The bar at the mouth 
of the river on which Rabat is situated, nearly 
sixty miles to the north-east, causes much of its 
produce, consisting of wool, carpets, and wax, to 
be shipped at Casa Blanca. Carpets and slippers 
are sent in large quantities to Gibraltar, from 
which, place they are transhipped to Alexandria. 

Our steamer lost the first day of her stay here 



CASA BLANCA. 



59 



on account of bad weather. The next day was 
employed in getting out cargo and shipping maize 
for the Canary Islands, but during the night 
following we bent our course again for the south. 

The coast for a long distance here is flat and 
uninteresting. Azamoor, seated on a low hill, was 
sighted in the morning, and at the opposite side 
of a wide bay lay Mazagan, our next stopping- 
place, and here we anchored. 



CHAPTER IV. 



MAZAGAN. 

Mazagan, or El Bridja, in the province of Doqualla, 
is 210 sea-miles south-west of Tangier, and 50 
sea-miles from Oasa Blanca. It is situated on a 
peninsula, and owes its origin to the shipwreck of 
a Portuguese vessel bound to the coast of Guinea. 
This was in 1502, and it is stated that the mariners 
took refuge in a tower found on the spot. Bj 
whom this structure, called the Tower of Alboreja, 
was built is not clear ; though it was probably due 
to some previous enterprise of the Portuguese. 
No mention is made of Mazagan by Leo Africanus, 
so that it could not have been a place of import- 
ance in his day. 1 The shipwrecked mariners were 
so pleased with the climate and fertility of the 

1 Leo Africanus was a Moor, born in Granada, who spent a 
great part of his life in Africa- Much contained in the re- 
markable accounts of his travels in Morocco, to which he 
appended the date a.d. 1 526, is applicable at the present day. 
The translation of this work, from which I shall have frequent 
occasion to quote, was by John Pory, London, 1600. 



MAZAGAN. 



61 



soil that, leaving twelve of their number well 
armed and fortified in the tower, the remainder 
returned to Lisbon to ask permission of the king 
Don Manuel to erect a fortress. This having been 
conceded they returned with men and materials to 
carry out their purpose. But they were almost 
immediately attacked with such fury by the people 
of Azamoor, as also, by the neighbouring tribes, 
that they were glad to take refuge in the tower. 
They were soon compelled to abandon this position, 
and return to Lisbon. Again they made their 
representations to the king, who, in 1509, resolved 
to construct a square fortress, flanked at each 
angle by a tower. The existing tower of Alboreja 
was incorporated into the east angle, and as this 
was of great height it became the watch-tower of 
the fortress. 

The three newly-built towers were called re- 
spectively the Towers of Segouha, of Cadea, and 
of Rebate. This last afterwards became the 
prison for the nobles. Twenty-five cavaliers and 
100 foot soldiers constituted the garrison of 
the fortress. 

At the suggestion of the Duke of Braganza, 
who visited Mazagan on his way to the conquest 
of Azamoor, the King of Portugal again turned 
attention to the new settlement. In 1513 he 
sent one of the best architects in his dominions to 
add to the strength of the fortress, and to build a 
town. This was square in shape, and enclosed 



62 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



within walls in which were three gates. The 
principal gate, that on the land side, was entered 
by means of two drawbridges. Another gate, 
facing the sea, served for commnnication with the 
shipping ; and there was a third gate in the north- 
east wall, but this was soon permanently closed. 
The wall which enclosed the town measured about 
4500 feet (French) in circumference. This latter 
contained four churches, eight religious houses, 
and twenty-five streets, and the population soon 
numbered 4000 souls. The fortress, which occu- 
pied the centre of the town, was provided with 
great stores of grain, of ammunition, and every- 
thing necessary for a siege. It also contained a 
prison and a hospital. More than a hundred 
bronze cannon with two mortars served for the 
defence of the place. 2 

During the whole time of their occupation, a 
period of 268 years between 1502 and 1770, the 
Portuguese never ceased to be exposed to attacks 
from the Moors. In the year last mentioned the 
Sultan Muley Mohammed Ben Muley Abdallah 
sent an army — it is said, of more than 100,000 men 
— against the place. After the siege had continued 
some time the King of Portugal, Don Jose I., 
taking into account the frightful sufferings of the 
garrison and the impossibility of holding the town, 

» These details have been left by Don Luiz Maria do Con to 
de Abuquerqe da Cunha, who was one of the garrison at the 
time the order was received to abandon Mazagan. 



MAZAGAN. 



63 



except by constant bloodshed and at great loss, 
resolved upon giving it up. The defenders hearing 
this determination, in respect to a spot which they 
had so long and so dearly held, laid numerous 
mines, which were fired as soon as the enemy 
entered. In this way 5000 Moors are stated to 
have perished. Mazagan was the last stronghold 
of the Portuguese in Morocco. 

On their return to Portugal these valiant 
warriors were coldly received, and were soon 
afterwards sent to Brazil, where they founded a 
colony, to which they gave the name of Villa 
Nova de Mazagan, in memory of their former 
dwelling-place. 

At the present time Mazagan has many fine 
specimens of Portuguese architecture. The mas- 
sive fortifications towards the sea are quite per- 
fect, and in former times were formidable works. 
A large ruin, which is the most prominent object 
in the place, is, doubtless on account of the dun- 
geons which it contains, called by Europeans the 
Palace of the Inquisition ; but there is no proof 
that the building was ever devoted to the pur- 
poses of this oppressive tribunal. One fine room 
I entered was fifty feet in length by twenty in 
breadth. The remains of the four towers which 
formed the angles of the fortress were still visible. 
There were also ruins of a cathedral. But the 
work which struck me as most worthy of note 
was a magnificent cistern for storing surface 



64 



MOBOOCO AND THE MOORS. 



water. Its roof, which is below the soil, was 
constructed of a series of flat, groined arches, 
supported by forty-two pillars of stone. It was un- 
questionably a Moorish work, dating from a period 
prior to Portuguese occupation. It was still used 
for its original purpose. Light was admitted by a 
circular aperture in the centre of the roof, while 
an entrance, provided with steps, led to the 
water. When stones were thrown from this 
entrance, a great crowd of bats, which made 
the cistern their home, rushed out. 

The walls of the town were surrounded by a 
broad but then empty moat. They were thirty 
feet wide in some places, and twenty high, form- 
ing on the top a fine promenade, from which was 
obtained a good view of the surrounding flat, 
uninteresting, but fertile country. From this 
place, towards the north-west, was seen an Arab 
village made up of conical huts, which resembled 
the barley-stacks of an English homestead. There 
was also a new saint-house within view ; this 
showed that canonization is still practised in 
Morocco. 

Mazagan has now but one gate, and its 
population is reduced to 2500 inhabitants. Of 
these about 800 are Jews. It owes its com- 
mercial importance to the great fertility of the 
surrounding country, the soil of which is admi- 
rably adapted for the growth of cereals and 
beans. There is also a large and increasing trade 



MAZAGAN. 



65 



in wool. Most European nations are represented 
here by consuls or consular agents. 

There was a small port or dock in connexion with 
the fortifications on the north side of the town, but 
it was only sufficient to admit very small vessels. 
Those of larger size are obliged to anchor about a 
mile and a half off the shore. The wrecks of two 
steam-vessels that appeared above water proved 
the treacherous nature of the roadstead. 

There were seven Spanish and Portuguese 
sailing-vessels at anchor, loading grain for the 
Canary Islands, of which the agricultural industry 
lies in the production of wine and cochineal, the 
inhabitants being mainly fed by imports from 
Morocco. Mazagan has also a good deal of traffic 
with Kabat, and beans and maize are exported to 
England in considerable quantities. The Sultan's 
victories had been celebrated here with more than 
ordinary zeal. Salutes were fired, powder play 
practised, and the shops decorated with little 
flags the size of pocket-handkerchiefs ; there had 
been, in fact, quite a gala- day. 

Notwithstanding its filth, its rough-paved 
streets, which retain all manner of abominations, 
the cesspools formed here and there by breaches 
in the pavement, and the entire absence of sewers, 
the town is not generally unhealthy. There is 
little remittent fever, and typhoid fever is un- 
frequent. During the cholera epidemic of 1868 
the mortality reached twenty-five deaths in a day. 



66 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



Ophthalmia is very prevalent, and is attributed, 
with good reason, to contagion through the 
medium of flies. 

The summer is not so hot as in some other 
places on the coast. The warmest part of the 
day is about six a.m. ; later on, the sea-breeze 
commences to blow, and continues throughout 
the day, accompanied by a grateful fall in the 
thermometer. 

The neighbourhood of Mazagan would afford 
good shooting. There are plenty of partridges, 
and the desert partridge is not uncommon ; quails 
of two kinds, woodcocks, snipe, plovers, and cur- 
lews. The numbers of small hawks, owls, ravens, 
pigeons, storks, and starlings that were flushed in 
the ruins of the old town astonished me greatly. 

Fish abound, and one method of catching them 
is by enclosing large spaces on the flat shore with 
rude walls of stone; these being covered when 
the tide flows in, and left dry when it flows put ; 
the fish which then happen to be within the 
enclosures are taken by the fishermen. 

When I returned to Mazagan (November 5th) 
I found that rain had fallen there on almost every 
day since the first week of October. The streets 
were so full of green puddles that it was difficult 
to get about. It is not easy to explain why Casa 
Blanca was so deadly, while this town, placed 
apparently under the same conditions, was not 
unhealthy in any marked degree. 



CHAPTER V. 



MOGADOR. 

Our next port of call was Saffi, but Sam refused 
to receive us. Although the weather was fair the 
surf on this part of the coast made it impossible 
to communicate with the shore. So, as it not 
unfrequently happens, the captain was obliged to 
pass on, trusting to the chance of being able to 
deliver the Saffi portion of his cargo on the re- 
turn voyage. On the morning of the fifth day 
from leaving Tangier, the town of Mogador was 
discerned rising out of the sand-hills by which it 
is partly surrounded. Mogador is 138 nautical 
miles from Mazagan, and about 350 south-west of 
Tangier. It is the model town of the Moors, and 
from a distance has some claim to the name by 
which it is commonly known to them — Suerah 
(the Beautiful). There is an island to the south- 
ward of the town, and the entrance to the port 
lies between the northern end of this island and a 
dangerous reef of rocks. 

The vessel anchored at about half a mile from 

9 

r u 



68 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



the landing-place, and was immediately sur- 
rounded by native boats. A man, dressed in 
European clothes, and in whose face the Arab and 
the European were plainly blended, accosted me 
in tolerable English, and I accepted his services 
for conveyance to shore. This man's name was 
Ali, and he was at first a great puzzle to me, but 
subsequently this was explained. His father had 
been a member of a troupe of Arab jugglers, 
who, thirty years previously had visited London. 
While there the man married an English woman, 
and of this marriage Ali was the offspring. Poor 
Ali was sadly crippled by rheumatism; but he 
gained a livelihood by means of his boat and the 
patronage of the English residents. 

I was hospitably received by Mr. Yule, the 
representative of D. Perry, Esq., of Liverpool and 
Mogador, the principal merchant of the place. Mr. 
Perry's house was built in the Moorish style, with 
a spacious patio in its centre. The lower apart- 
ments were used as stores and offices. Strings of 
camels from the interior laden with olive oil aud 
other merchandize were received into the patio. 
There was something primitive and refreshing in 
the directness and simplicity of the whole pro- 
ceeding. The upper apartments opened on to a 
wide gallery supported on pillars that ran round 
the patio. The ceilings of some of the rooms 
were finely decorated in Arabesque patterns and 
bright colours „ 



MOGADOK. 



69 



My stay here, including the longer visit on my 
return from the city of Morocco, extended over 
some weeks. 

Mogador is in latitude 31° 30' 1ST., and notwith- 
standing this approach to the tropics, has a re- 
markable equable and temperate climate. As a 
health resort I regard it as superior even to 
Tangier. But its distance from Europe and 
present want of accommodation are drawbacks 
from which Tangier is free. 1 M. Beaumier, 
Consul of France, has resided a great number of 
years at Mogador, and has made its climate a 
special study. I am mainly indebted to him for 
the following remarks. He also placed at my 
disposal some valuable meteorological tables which 
will be found in the Appendix. 2 

Notwithstanding the imperfections of its sani- 
tary provisions the town is remarkably healthy. 
This, in a great measure, is to be attributed to 
the ventilating and cooling action of the trade 
winds. Copious rains of short duration prevail 
from the end of November to the commencement 
of April, but chiefly in February and March. The 
south wind sometimes blows with great violence, 
and occasionally there are thunderstorms. At 
times rain continues for three or four days 

1 A boarding-house kept by two Jewish ladies, the Misses 
Macnin, affords limited accommodation, and a small hotel has 
been lately opened at Mogador. 

2 See Appendix B. 



70 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



together. But the winter cannot be regarded as 
wet. As a rule the sky is clear and the climate 
most enjoyable. 

Eain rarely falls during summer and autumn. 
A strong north wind then prevails along the coast 
from Cape Oantin as far as Mogador. The town 
is built partly on sandstone rocks, and partly on 
the sandy shore of the Atlantic, in such a way 
that in certain states of wind and tide the place is 
surrounded by the sea without being ever flooded. 
There are reefs of rocks at the north of the town 
upon which the waves break with great violence. 
The spray is carried by the wind into the town in 
the form of invisible particles of sea-water, and at 
times people's clothes, hair, and beard become 
saturated. This is regarded as very healthful, 
but it has great disadvantages ; iron rusts, and 
leather and other articles become mouldy in spite 
of care. The north-east wind is the great bene- 
factor of the place. Whenever the temperature 
rises this wind increases in force, after which the 
thermometer falls. It begins to blow at about 
9 a.m., and increases in force until about 3 p.m., 
when it gradually decreases until midnight, and 
from that time the night is calm. 

It is remarkable that the sirocco (S.E. wind), 
the terrible scourge which is experienced with 
fatal effects a little inland, very seldom, even in a 
modified degree, reaches Mogador. The towns on 
the coast to the north of Cape Cantin, as well as 



MOGADOE. 



71 



those of the interior, are more or less subject to 
this wind. The position of Mogador explains the 
immunity. Although in the latitude of the Great 
Desert the town is situated far enough to the west 
to be outside the range of the desert wind. 
Places a little further north and more to the 
east are within its burning track. On rare occa- 
sions a perfect calm exists for a day or two, and 
this is the worst weather experienced at Mogador. 
The temperature then reaches, though rarely 
exceeds, 80° Fahr., and the sky, usually very 
bright, is overcast; the atmosphere seems thick, 
and a sense of lassitude and sleepiness is expe- 
rienced. 

Mogador contains about 15,000 inhabitants, of 
which number about 6000 are Jews and 150 
Europeans. The town is comparatively new. It 
was built in 1760 by the Sultan Sidi Mohammed 
ben Abdullah ben Ismael, and derived its name 
from the adjacent sanctuary of Sidi Mogodol. 
But it is, as already said, best known to the 
Moors as Suerah, on account of its beauty. It is 
the only town in Morocco which has been laid out 
with a view to regularity of plan. Like most 
Moorish towns it is divided into two parts, the 
citadel and the outer town. The citadel contains 
the public buildings and the houses of the foreign 
merchants. The Jews' quarter is in the outer 
town. It is isolated and enclosed by walls ; but 
many of the better-class Jews live in the same 



72 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



localities as the foreign merchants. The town is 
supplied with water by an aqueduct which brings 
it from a river about a mile and a half distant. 
In the part of the town occupied by Europeans 
the streets are of good width for a place in which 
wheeled vehicles are unknown, and are kept fairly 
clean. Moreover the drainage is here effected by 
sewers. 

The view of Mogador from a housetop conveys 
the idea of dreamy solitude. The bright sun 
shines out of the clear blue vault upon the white 
and dazzling walls of the silent town. The atmo- 
sphere seems to make itself visible by that strange 
transparent waviness which lulls the senses and 
invites repose. Looking westward nothing is in 
view but one boundless expanse of blue sea, 
while on every other side except at a long distance 
nothing is to be seen but sand. Close to the 
water the sand is level and firm, but towards the 
east it is thrown, by the violent winds which 
prevail in summer, into irregular hills of con- 
siderable height, the size and even the posi- 
tion of which are entirely altered from time to 
time. 

Mogador is the capital of the fertile province of 
Haha, but in consequence of its position it has 
no immediate rural connexions. Its inhabitants 
live by commerce, and its food supplies are 
brought from a considerable distance. Unlike 
Saffi. and other towns grain is seldom exported 



MOGADOK. 



73 



from Mogador. Tlie fine olive plantations of the 
country to the south yield abundance of oil, which 
forms a large article of commerce. Various gums, 
almonds, bees-wax, ostrich feathers, gold, some 
ivory, goat-skins, wool, and sundry other articles 
are also exported. Many of these articles are 
brought to Mogador by caravans from Timbuctoo 
and the Soudan. 

There are a number of horse-mills for grinding 
corn ; and when I was at Mogador a small steam- 
mill was, for the first time, set going. It excited 
the jealousy rather than the wonder of the Moors ; 
for, as it has often happened in similar cases 
nearer home, they were afraid that the new 
machinery would throw those working in the 
horse-mills out of employment. 

A good deal of Morocco leather, chiefly of that 
fine yellow colour of which slippers are so univer- 
sally made, is produced at Mogador. There are 
also some soap factories, but the manufactures are 
not important. The shops are like those of Tan- 
gier, except that at Mogador are none of those 
hybrid establishments in which we see the influ- 
ence of European ideas and customs in combination 
with those more primitive of the Moor. 

A dispensary has been for some time established 
in the Jews' town, which has been the means of 
effecting much good. Sir Moses Montefiore, the 
universal benefactor of his race, has been a liberal 
donor to its funds. It is open three times a week, 



74 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



and the attendance of patients ranges from between 
thirty to forty. There was a hospital containing 
a few beds, but it was closed for want of support. 
Dr. Thevenin, a French medical man, and an 
enthusiast in his craft, has charge of the dispen- 
sary, and to his courtesy I am indebted for many 
opportunities of professional observation. 

The poor class of Jews at Mogador, as in all 
the other towns of the empire, present, generally 
speaking, an unhealthy appearance. They suffer 
from the effects of bad food, want of out-door 
exercise, and ventilation. Yet the Jewish popu- 
lation does not succumb, as might be expected, to 
severe diseases. Ordinary fevers are of rare occur- 
rence among them, and fevers of the remittent 
type are so uncommon that some years pass with- 
out a case being treated. I saw no case of pulmo- 
nary consumption, and Dr. Thevenin believes that 
it is not indigenous. The cholera epidemic of 
1866 passed lightly over Mogador; two per cent, 
only of the estimated population fell victims to it, 
while the mortality at Tangier was four per cent., 
at Mazagan nine, and at Casa Blanca fourteen per 
cent. Indigestion, as might be expected, is very 
common, as are also rheumatism and diseases of 
the skin. 

Generally speaking the Moors are averse to 
receiving medical aid from the infidel, but prefer 
trusting to the prayers and charms of their priests. 
My own practice among the better class of Jews, 



MOGADOE. 



75 



and a few of the Moors of good position, was at 
times more extensive than I desired. I would 
gladly have been excused acting the part of 
amateur physician, when I had only recently and 
temporarily left behind the fag and responsibility 
of professional life. 

As I was on intimate terms with several Jewish 
families I had many opportunities of being pre- 
sent at their ceremonies and entertainments. I 
was particularly indebted to the High Priest, 
Signor Joseph Elmaleh, for many acts of kindness. 
A Jewish wedding has been, when referring to 
Tangier, already described. Here, at Magazan, I 
witnessed a circumcision, which was celebrated 
with much rejoicing. It took place, according to 
the Law, on the seventh day after the child had 
been brought into the world, and in the presence 
of the mother while still confined to bed. The 
room was crowded with guests, and there was a 
small band of hired musicians and singers. One 
of the songs translated for me was very amusing. 
The desire of Jews to have male in preference to 
female offspring is well known. The song, among 
other points, declared that the mother had done 
well to have given birth to a son, and who, worthy 
of praise, should be held in honour. Had she 
brought forth a daughter she would have been 
highly to blame. Those about her would have 
beaten her with a stick, and so on in the same 
strain. 



76 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Many of the J ews of Mogador wear the costume 
of Europe, and are educated gentlemen. They 
have been to England or some other place abroad, 
and thus profited by their intercourse with the 
world. Others of their race, who have not had 
these advantages, are much on an intellectual level 
with their Moorish neighbours, and live and dress 
in the same manner. Some of the Jewish mer- 
chants are rich, although hardly so in the English 
sense. But in Morocco there are few luxuries, 
and money bears a high value ; a given income 
may therefore be regarded as worth double what 
it would be in England. There are no costly 
equipages to be maintained, and there are not 
even public promenades. The result is that, 
although the ladies possess expensive dresses and 
jewellery, there is not the same temptation as 
with us to constant expenditure on these matters. 

The better-class Jewish houses are large and 
substantial, and built in the Moorish style. They 
are, generally speaking, comfortably furnished in 
the European manner, though often with indif- 
ferent taste, there being too much glitter and too 
little regard to proportion and relative effects. 

The Roman or, as now called, Turkish bath has 
degenerated sadly in Morocco. There are many 
baths in Mogador, and by great interest I managed 
to gain access to one while it was unoccupied. It 
was a fair specimen of its class. The anteroom 
and cooling-room combined was a small apartment 



MOGADOE. 



77 



opening to the street, and crowded with, various 
articles ; there was also a sort of den to receive 
the bathers' clothes, and beyond this were two 
small arched rooms parallel with each other. The 
first or outer room, which was very dark, had a 
moderately high temperature, and was furnished 
with a tap and cold-water supply. Separated by a 
door the room beyond was absolutely without light 
at all. There was no ventilation, and the smell such 
as to lead me to beat instant retreat. Yet in such 
wretched chambers the less fastidious Moors pass 
much of their time. The use of the bath is un- 
known among the Jews. 

I visited the Governor of Mogador, a fine-looking 
Arab about forty-five years of age. He was an 
important personage, yet his pay was said to be 
only a dollar a day. But his perquisites were 
various and valuable. For instance, there was a 
large number of soldiers at Mogador, and, from 
the sum allowed by Government for each man, the 
Governor took the lion's share. He is obliged, 
however, to send periodical presents to the Sultan, 
like every one in a similar office. The Governor 
wore a jelabeer of fine white cloth, and was seated 
on a mat in the anteroom of his house. A cross- 
bill in a revolving cage like a squirrel's, which 
was turned by the bird, was his companion. The 
Moors are fond of pets of all kinds. The Governor 
was friendly and pleasant in manner. He told 
me with much satisfaction, that he had done the 



78 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Mecca pilgrimage. We had a long conversation, 
among other things about corporal punishment, 
which he constantly ordered to be inflicted. He 
maintained that beating is the best preservative 
against crime ; but that it ought to be inflicted, 
as was the case formerly, by the force of the arm 
from the elbow only. He also said that it was a 
punishment in respect to which much judgment 
should be used, as the mere idea of being flogged 
would almost kill some sensitive men. I spoke of 
the great advantages that would result from a 
railroad between the city of Morocco and the 
coast, but his only reply was a wave of the hand. 
The dislike entertained by the Moors to any 
European innovations is very remarkable. 

The Moors who work at loading and unloading 
the steamers at Mogador communicate with the 
captains and crews in a peculiar jargon, which 
they suppose to be English, but which bears hardly 
more resemblance to that tongue than Anglo-Saxon 
does to modern English. It is true this Anglo- 
Moorish dialect is not copious, and can therefore 
be soon acquired; but no unaccustomed person 
could possibly understand a conversation held in 
it. I was as a listener often amused, and with the 
assistance of Captain Hogg here present a scrap 
of the lingo verbatim. It must be premised that 
the Moor, who acts as stevedore or headman of 
the men employed in loading and unloading the 
steamers, has frequently great trouble with his 



MOGADOR. 



79 



gang. The men are by no means fond of work, 
and it is difficult to keep them in the hold. They 
stow themselves away in odd corners to smoke 
kief. Under these circumstances the stevedore 
goes to the first mate, and the following odd sort 
of conversation ensues : — 

Stevedore. — "Mr. FirestMate. This man nithing 
sot down. Me speak em sot down. Him speak 
catch em smoke. By em by sot down, me speak 
em, catch em mate. Him speak, never mind for 
mate. What for this ? This no good, ewar ! 
Where is what for ? " 

Mate. — " What man nithing sot down ? " 

Stevedore. — " This man." Pointing to delin- 
quent. 

Mate. — " Go down for below. Nithing sot 
down. Quick! catch em stripes, no good sot 
down for smoke, plenty work, quick down for 
below. Mthing quick ; go for ballast ; wark 
quark." Thus urged the rebellious workman 
descends to the hold, and to his work. 

The phrase, " Go for ballast," is used in various 
senses. As used above, it means that under certain 
contingencies the mate will throw the man over- 
board. If any one dies, it is also said, he " go for 
ballast." 

The captain is styled " Eeis ; " the second 
mate " Mr. Sticky-mate," an epithet doubtless 
derived from his frequent use of the stick; the 
steward " Stoun ;" the sailors " Silors," &c. 



80 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



This style of conversation, or, more correctly- 
speaking, jumble of words, is extremely ludicrous ; 
carried on as it is with great volubility, violent 
gestures, and flashing eyes. Whether the words 
" Wark, quark," which so often occur, be Moorish 
or "pigeon English" I could not ascertain; 
though they seem to imply some such meaning as 
belongs to our phrase, "It's like your impudence." 

There was a Moorish beggar at Mogador, Moses 
by name, who devoted much attention to me when 
we happened to meet in my strolls about the town. 
He knew a little English, and it was amusing to 
hear the way in which he applied this knowledge 
in aid of his calling. The Moor believes in 
flattery, and Moses applied it without stint. Here 
is a specimen of the running fire of compliments 
he would pour into my ear as we walked along : — 
" Fine fellow ! Clean man ! Buy all Mogador ! 
Englishman, one man all over world," &c. &c. 
"Who could resist such blandishments, or not 
indulge their repetition at the small cost of a few 
mozounas ? 



CHAPTER VI. 



EXCURSIONS FROM MOGADOR. 

The island at Mogador is rather more than a mile 
from the southern extremity of the town. It is 
nearly half a mile in length, extending along the 
shore, with a breadth at the widest part of about 
500 yards. Thus situated, the island might be 
supposed to form a natural breakwater against 
the impetuous roll of the Atlantic. But in this 
respect it is of little use. The water intervening 
between the mainland and the island is shallow and 
exposed to the headlong rush of the waves which 
sweep round its northern extremity. Here is the 
entrance to the port. From being narrow it pre- 
sents, during violent gales from the west, a scene 
of awful, and perhaps of its kind, unequalled 
grandeur. For the waves, breaking as they do on 
the rocks at both sides of the channel with a 
perpetual upcast of white foam, seem animated 
by a savage fury. At short intervals a mountain 
of water, backed by the tremendous force of the 
ocean, rolls swiftly but smoothly inwards until 

G 



82 



MOKOCCO AND THE MOORS. 



checked by the rocks within the port. A ground 
swell is thus raised in which no craft can remain 
at anchor. For these reasons Mogador, as a 
port, is a mistake, and it is questionable whether 
these natural defects would be rectified by the 
outlay of any amount of capital; even if they 
could, and the port were made really serviceable 
there is much reason to suppose that the trade 
which might follow, though calculated at a high 
figure, would not be sufficiently remunerative to 
repay the expenditure incurred. 

On a few occasions of the kind described, steam- 
vessels have been surprised within the port, and 
compelled at all hazards to face the imminent 
peril of running out. The townspeople relate 
how, with bated breath and beating hearts they 
have witnessed from the beach, or from the house- 
tops, these courageous efforts. It is told how 
captain so-and-so, watching his opportunity, urged 
at the instant of a lull, and at the highest speed, 
his vessel over this treacherous path. It is added 
that repeatedly the gallant captain was met by the 
overpowering force of the incoming waves ; how 
that his vessel dashing backwards, then to one 
side, now to another, like a cork bounding on the 
surface of a waterfall, was momentarily expected 
to be split into fragments against the rocks. But 
the next instant the inward rush of water placed 
him in a position from which the attempt could 
be renewed, till it culminated in success. Then 



EXCURSIONS FEOM MOGADOK. 



83 



a spontaneous cheer arose from all who wit- 
nessed this feat of gallantry and nautical skill, 
and each beating heart was relieved from an 
intense anxiety. Bravery of this sort, no less 
than any other, deserves to be held in honour ; 
for a cool head, strong nerves, and all the quali- 
ties necessary to make up the heroic nature are 
absolutely required. 

Vessels provided with steam power can only 
attempt, with any certainty of success, entrance to 
the port. Very few sailing-vessels now resort to 
it, and these are chiefly Spanish from the Canary 
Islands. When these are overtaken by a gale 
such as that we have described, they are almost 
invariably driven from their anchors and hope- 
lessly wrecked. It is the custom of the crews to 
consult their own safety by abandoning their 
ships in good time. Some years ago an English 
captain, as renovvned for his cool courage, as his 
experience of the port, persuaded his crew to 
follow his example and stand by their vessel. 
They did so, and though deserving a better fate, 
perished to a man. 

As an agreeable change, the island is a favourite 
resort of the European residents of Mogador. But 
the Moors and the Jews seem unable to understand 
why people should take the trouble to move for a 
purpose so indefinite or useless. Many respectable 
Jews told me, that, although natives of the place, 
they had never set foot on the island. I had the 

g 2 



84 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



pleasure of spending a couple of days there with 
some of the English residents at Mogador. 

This island is the only quarantine station in 
Morocco, and is occasionally used for the purpose. 
Steamboats destined for Tangier and containing 
Mecca pilgrims from Alexandria, have been com- 
pelled, on occasions of an outbreak of cholera, to 
proceed to this place, nearly four hundred miles 
further. This, and justly, has been considered a 
great grievance, though it is one which at present 
admits of no remedy. 

There were a couple of good houses on the 
island, and in one of these we took up our 
quarters. It consisted of a patio or courtyard ; 
the four sides being surrounded by apartments. 
These afforded ample room for the ladies and 
gentlemen of the party ; and our mattresses served 
for seats as well as beds. But if, thus far, the 
Moorish habits were adopted, we lived otherwise 
in the true style of British profusion ; and during 
our sojourn in this retreat all experienced as near 
an approach to a state of mental and physical 
inaction as those neither Orientals nor true 
believers could attain. For the days were charm- 
ing, and the calm nights simply delicious. The 
air, tempered by the fresh sea-breezes blowing 
unchecked over the island, rendered endurable the 
direct rays of the sun. Looking over the island the 
sandy soil was seen to be overgrown with scrubby 
bushes and green succulent plants, which contrasted 



EXCURSIONS FROM MOGADOR. 



85 



favourably with the arid mainland. The sky was 
of the deepest blue; while at night the stars, 
reflected in the placid ocean, appeared as though 
magnified. Of these, some were new to the 
northern stranger, and, as might be fancied, 
returned his gaze with a staring lustre. On the 
land side of the island the gurgling waves were 
heard in dreamy monotony, while on its seaward 
side the restless billows plunged into the caves and 
crannies of the cliffs, with a power and rush of 
sound the sublime effect of which cannot be 
described. 

The northern end of the island was very pre- 
cipitous. In this direction a large piece of sand- 
stone cliff has been detached, probably by an 
earthquake, in such a manner as to allow the sea 
to flow between it and the mainland. Rising like a 
straight wall some hundreds of feet out of the sea, 
that portion of it facing the island was pierced by 
a great natural archway through which, in calm 
weather, boats could pass to the opposite side. 
The ledges of the rocks, as also the top of this 
detached cliff, were the resort of great numbers of 
cormorants and other sea-birds. Still more popu- 
lated was the interior of the archway. It was the 
home of innumerable wild pigeons. Many of 
these were constantly flying about the island, and 
from specimens we shot they appeared not to 
differ in plumage from the ordinary blue rock 
variety which they also resembled in rapidity of 



86 MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



flight. At sunset, and during the short twilight, 
these birds would arrive at the island in huge 
detachments. If, after they had settled, a gun 
was fired, the air was instantly filled with a dense 
and fluttering mass of animal life. The birds, 
however, soon returned to their resting-places, and 
at day -break were again on wing flying far inland 
in search of food. This habit probably accounted 
for the regularity of their departure and return. 
Aware of this, sportsmen from Mogador take up 
their position at certain points on the mainland, 
and shoot them down in great numbers. The 
thing for wonder was how these birds, scattered 
as they were during the day over a wide extent of 
country, collected together at the approach of 
night, and flew away direct in compact bodies to 
their accustomed resting-places in the inaccessible 
rocks. 

Immense flocks of starlings also roosted in the 
shelter of the same rocks. It was a wonderful sight 
to witness the eccentric gyrations of these birds 
as they approached the island. At a distance their 
compact phalanx resembled nothing so much as a 
black cloud constantly changing its shape. At 
one moment it was elongated, the next it rapidly 
whirled round its axis; then became a more 
compact body, was now triangular, and now of no 
regular outline. A moment more it ascended to- 
wards the sky; then, descending as swiftly, swooped 
along the ground. This method of going to rest 



EXCURSIONS FROM MOGADOR. 



87 



was certainly extraordinary considering that during 
each day these birds had, of necessity, traversed 
great distances in rapid flight. 

One night we tried fishing, though with little 
success, from the high rocks, beneath which there 
was deep water. As everywhere else, fish in these 
latitudes are capricious, and will not always take 
the bait. The best time for fishing here is on a 
dark night. Our rods were strong, finely tapering 
reeds five-and-twenty feet in length, and the lines 
were of wire, to prevent them being bitten across, 
for the fish were most voracious. The bait consisted 
of pieces of octopus. These our attendant Moor 
prepared for the hook by seizing a portion of the 
phosphorescent and semi-putrid mass with his 
teeth, and there holding it, separated it into pieces 
with his hands. It was a proceeding as savage as 
it was sickening. 

The island is too small to harbour game, but it 
abounded in cats which have run wild. These are 
said to live entirely on fish which have been 
thrown on the rocks, but small birds form, pro- 
bably, their chief food. 

The edible hawk — so much esteemed as a . 
delicacy — is procured from this island. The flesh 
of the hawk tribe is regarded by us as totally 
unfit for food, yet one species is so much in re- 
quest in South Morocco, that the birds are sent 
from Mogador as presents to the sultan. I was not 
so fortunate as to meet with this delicacy, neither 



88 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



was I able to ascertain the species, but it is a small 
bird somewhat resembling our sparrow-hawk. 

Adjoining our house was a little mosque, which 
the pious care of a Government, intimately blend- 
ing in itself all the authority of Church and State, 
had provided for the residents. Early and late 
the solemn cry of the muezzin was sent forth to 
die away upon the waters; but we soon found 
that this good man was not so punctual in his 
movements as to render them a regulator for our 
watches ; in fact, he seemed to ascend the tower 
just when it suited his convenience. Neither, so 
far as I could judge, was his cure of souls exten- 
sive, for, generally speaking, priest and congre- 
gation were united in his own person. Even 
with this liberty as to time, his life must have 
been wearisome and monotonous in the extreme, 
for we were told that during the period of twenty 
years he had never once left the island. Its per- 
manent residents consisted of fifteen men, chiefly 
ragged soldiers, who were the custodians of five 
batteries placed around the coast. The guns 
were iron 32-pounders, placed en barbette in the 
number of from three to five in each battery. All 
were deplorably rusty and honeycombed, and not 
a few had been dismounted and spiked by the 
French. Many others had been thrown into the 
sea by the same hands. 

When the French, under the orders of Prince 
Joinville, landed here, they met with a most reso- 



EXCURSIONS FROM MOGADOR. 



89 



lute resistance from the garrison of some hundred 
Moors, who fought with the desperation of men 
that expected no quarter. On both sides great 
slaughter ensued, numbers of the Moors perishing 
in their attempt to swim to the mainland. 

About a mile and a half south of Mogador is a 
Shluh village, called D'Jerbet. It is situated on 
the sea-shore, a small river running close beside 
it. From this cause, probably, almost all the 
inhabitants were more or less affected with re- 
mittent fevers, and the condition of some was 
very deplorable. This was the more remarkable, 
as at this date no cases of fever were known at 
Mogador. Mr. Yule enlisted my services for 
these villagers, and we visited the place together 
on several occasions. This gave me the oppor- 
tunity of inspecting the interior of the houses and 
of making myself familiar with the general 
economy of a Shluh village. The one in ques- 
tion was enclosed by high walls of tabia, and the 
interior, in some respects, resembled a maze> for 
a series of narrow passages or lanes ran between 
the enclosures, each house having a walled-in 
yard, in which the cows, mules, and poultry of 
the proprietor were housed at night. 

In making our visits to this village we were 
sure to be assailed by a number of the most 
savage dogs I ever saw. Without doubt these 
brutes would have torn us to pieces if they had 
not been driven off by the men before we dis- 



90 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOOES. 



mounted from our mules, for they seemed to be 
imbued with the true spirit of Mussulman exclu- 
siveness, and resented most fiercely all intrusion 
of infidel strangers into the precincts of the faith- 
ful. The villagers appeared to be industrious. 
They lived partly by farming and partly by acting 
as carriers to Mogador. They are also sportsmen 
in a way. Seeing some pigeons in confinement, I 
ascertained that these were used for catching 
falcons by means of a net. The latter birds are 
reared on the island, already described, which is 
opposite the village ; and being rare, their captors 
are considered fortunate if they take a dozen in 
the year. The falcons are thus highly prized, 
wealthy governors and others sometimes giving 
as much as 20Z. for a single specimen. Many 
find their way to the sultan himself. 

The houses consisted of narrow rooms opening 
on to the courtyard ; usually a single room formed 
the entire house. It had no windows, and de- 
pended for light on the open door. In one end 
was the bed of the husband and wife, the children 
sleeping on a raised sofa-like bench placed along 
the walls. The other end of the room was filled 
t>y a large chest, a simple cooking-stove fed with 
charcoal, millstones for grinding corn, some cook- 
ing-vessels, and gourds for holding water, milk, 
and other things. The walls were lime-washed, 
and sometimes bordered with a decoration resem- 
bling the repeated forms of half an egg in a bright 



EXCURSIONS FEOM MOGADOR. 



91 



colour. 1 Bowls of the handsome pottery in com- 
mon use were hung against the walls by means of 
strings passed through holes in the bottom rims. 
Bird-traps, ingeniously made from the rib of a 
sheep or goat, showed the juvenile taste for sport. 
The floors were scrupulously clean, and the whole 
appearance of the house reflected credit on the 
inmates. The locks and keys were of wood, such 
as are used in many eastern countries. 

How is it that in dwellings such as these, buried 
from the world and unconnected with, at least, its 
modern phases of civilization, a greater taste and a 
truer feeling for colour and ornament are found, 
than in the homes of corresponding classes among 
ourselves ? The cottage of the English labourer, 
the cabin of the Irishman, the boothie of the 
Highlander, are alike undecorated by any art 
which belongs to the occupants. Celt and Anglo- 
Saxon alike seem to have little innate aesthetic 
feeling, or at least it requires peculiar circum- 
stances and aids for its development. But the 
Esquimaux who carves his pipe, the South Sea 
Islander who decorates his paddle or his weapons, 
the negro of Central Africa who scratches figures 
on his gourds, or the Moors in the seclusion of* 
their villages, exhibit a conception of and inherent 
taste for art, rarely discoverable in the nature of 
our uneducated classes. 

1 The same as the egg and tongue bordering seen on 
Etruscan and Greek vases. 



92 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Most of my patients were women — a circum- 
stance to be explained by the absence of the men 
from the locality during the day ; while the women 
were exposed both day and night to the noxious ema- 
nations from the river. Some of the women were 
fine specimens of their race, their features being 
regular, their figures good, and their hands and 
feet small. The younger portion had their eyelids 
blackened with kohl, and their hands stained with 
henna after the approved method. 
Many were tattooed on the chin with 
the figure represented in this wood- 
cut. It is a cabalistic figure in- 
tended to ward off the influence of 
the evil eye. 

It must not be supposed that the domestic 
virtues did not flourish in this benighted village, 
virtues which we are too apt to suppose belong 
almost exclusively to a different religious dispen- 
sation than that of the Prophet of Mecca. It is 
true that poverty alone prevented the villagers 
from being polygamists. But that is a question 
of morals which would be decided differently by the 
Christian citizens of Utah and New York. I can 
only say that if paternal and filial affection, patience 
in adversity, gratitude for help, and resignation to 
the will of God are Christian virtues, that these 
Mohammedans possessed them in a high degree, 
higher, it is certain, than many so-called Chris- 
tians. One middle-aged widow, who was seriously 




EXCURSIONS .FROM MOC1ADOE. 



93 



ill, had brought up a large family by the proceeds 
of her labour in Mogador, to which place, when in 
health, she daily repaired. An old, weather- 
beaten man, who had a certain shyness about him, 
proved to be a Spanish renegade. One little inci- 
dent of medical practice must be told; it may 
convey a valuable hint to some anxious mother. 
A miserably-nourished infant was brought to me 
for advice ; it had not been weaned, but, as it did 
not thrive, the mother had given what she con- 
sidered to be the most strengthening aliment 
within her reach — walnuts chewed to a pulp in 
her own mouth, and then transferred to that of 
the child ! 

I made several shooting and other excursions into 
the country in company with my friends. In some 
places partridges were very numerous, but, owing to 
the high cover, were difficult to shoot. In sandy 
places, overgrown with tall broom, we could often 
hear them rising on the wing close at hand, and 
in great numbers, and this without seeing a bird. 
The country was, in many places, very picturesque, 
the ground being broken by well-wooded hills. 
The date-palm was hardly to be seen; but the 
argan-tree gave the landscape a character of its 
own. 

The argan, like many other trees in Morocco, 
has a local distribution. It is only found south of 
the river Tensift, and at no great distance further 
south it again disappears. The province of Haha 



94 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



contains many large forests consisting entirely of 
these trees, and the oil expressed from the kernels 
of their frnit forms an important article of diet. 2 
They are not lofty trees, but, by their tendency 
to spread, afford most grateful shade. The 
leaves are small, of a dull green colour, and sur- 
rounded by thorns. The bark is furrowed longi- 
tudinally and crossways, so as closely to resemble 
the armour - like skin of certain antediluvian 
creatures. 3 

The largest known argan-tree was about four 
miles from Mogador. It was of great age, and I 
found that while it was not more than twenty feet 
in height it covered a space of ground seventy-two 
yards in circumference. The trunk, which was 
very rugged and unequal, measured, near to the 
ground, twenty- six feet, and from this point soon 
branched out. The branches extended more or 
less horizontally and drooped so as to rest on the 
ground. From these other branches were sent 
upwards, thus giving the appearance of several 
trees in a group. This tree was a favourite 
resort of picnic parties from Mogador; and the 

2 See Appendix E. 

3 Referring to this province of Haha, Leo African us wrote, 
" Likewise there are found in this region certain thornie trees, 
bearing a grosse kind of fruit, not unlike unto those olives 
which are brought unto us from Spain ; the said fruit they 
call in their language Arga. Of this fruit they make a 
kinde of oile, being of a fulsome and strong savour, which they 
use, notwithstanning, for sauce and for lampes." 



EXCURSIONS FROM MOGADOR. 



95 



Moors, mistaking the object of these visits, have 
concluded that the Christians have adopted it as 
their saint tree. 

Another more distant excursion, but somewhat 
in the same direction, was to the sultan's garden. 
It was beautifully situated and well supplied with 
water, which in that country implies luxuriant 
vegetation, but it was utterly ruined and neglected. 
The house was in a tumble-down condition, and 
the ground overrun with weeds ; but there were 
some fine trees, the relics of former care and 
cultivation. In this neighbourhood we saw great 
numbers of partridges, and the spoors of the wild 
boar were frequent. 

Another tree abounding in these forests was the 
arar or thuja-tree, Gallitris quadrivalvis, a plant 
allied to the cypress, yielding a durable wood much 
employed for building purposes. But its trunk 
grows to no great height while the branches are not 
large; and these circumstances have made an 
unmistakeable impression upon the architecture 
of the country. The tree is of slow growth 
and not conspicuous for beauty ; but it is valuable 
to the world at large on account of its yielding 
gum sandarach, a substance useful for making 
varnish. This gum forms one of the exports 
peculiar to Mogador. 

The long-standing fame of the thuja-tree has 
given it a place in ancient history. It was the 
citrus-tree of the Romans, and yielded the citron 



96 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



wood which, in the palmy days of Rome, attained 
a price unknown for such articles, even in our 
own age. Pliny thus refers to this tree and its 
uses: "In the vicinity of this mountain," one of 
the Atlas range, " is Mauretania, a country which 
abounds in the citrus, a tree which gave rise to 
the mania for fine tables; an extravagance with 
which the women reproach the men when they 
complain of their vast outlay upon pearls. There 
is preserved to the present day a table which 
belonged to M. Cicero ; for which, notwithstand- 
ing his comparatively moderate means, and what 
is even more surprising still, at that day too, he 
gave no less than one million sesterces (about 
9Q0Z.) . "We find mention made also of one belong- 
ing to Gallus Asinius which cost one million one 
hundred thousand sesterces. Two tables were 
also sold by auction which had belonged to King 
Juba ; the price fetched by one was one million 
two hundred thousand sesterces, and that by the 
other something less. There has lately been 
destroyed by fire a table which came down from 
the family of the Cethegi, which had been sold 
for the sum of one million four hundred thousand 
sesterces, the price of a considerable domain . . ." 
" The largest table that is made from a single 
piece of wood is the one which takes its name 
from Nomius, a freed man of Tiberius Csesar. The 
diameter of it is four feet, short by three quarters 
of an inch, and it is half a foot in thickness, less 



EXCURSIONS FEOM MOGADOR. 



97 



the same fraction. While speaking on this sub- 
ject, I ought not to omit to mention that the 
Emperor Tiberius had a table that exceeded 
four feet in diameter by two inches and a 
quarter, and was an inch and a half in thick- 
ness ; this, however, was only covered with a 
veneer of citrus wood, while that which belonged 
to his freedman Nomius was so costly ; the whole 
material of which it was composed being knotted 
wood/' 4 

Dr. Hooker, President of the Royal Society, 
has kindly supplied me with, specimens of the 
veneer procured at Algiers, where the wood is 
used for cabinet work, which is sold in Paris at a 
very high price. The varied markings of this 
material allowed the Roman connoisseurs the 
opportunity of fixing standards of excellence ac- 
cording to the rarity and other qualities of each 
specimen. 

Ordinary Arar wood has no beauty whatever, 
and that which was so much esteemed appears, 
like the pearl, to have been the product of disease. 
On this point Pliny again affords us some interest- 
ing information. " These knots are properly a 
disease or excrescence of the root ; and those used 
for this purpose are more particularly esteemed 
which have lain entirely concealed under ground ; 
they are much more rare than those that grow 

4 Pliny, Nat. Hist., Book xiii., chap. 29. Bostock's translation. 

H 



98 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOORS. 



above ground, and that are to be found on the 
branches also. Thus, to speak correctly, that 
which we buy at so vast a price is, in reality, a 
defect in the tree." 5 



6 Nat. Hist., ibid. 



CHAPTER VII. 



JOURNEY TO THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 

The European residents at Mogador seldom go to 
the capital ; years sometimes pass without any one 
making the journey, as it involves much discomfort 
and some risk. It happened, fortunately, that Mr. 
Broom, an English merchant of the place, wanted 
to petition the sultan in reference to a long unpaid 
debt owed by an influential Moor who lived in 
Morocco, and hearing of my intention resolved to 
accompany me. His knowledge of the country 
and the natives was of great service, and we set 
out with a much smaller party than I intended 
to have taken. In ordinary times the number 
would have been sufficient, but we afterwards 
found that more numerous guards were greatly 
needed. 

Our party, besides ourselves, consisted of Leo> 
a Mogador Jew, interpreter, valet, and handyman 
in general ; Ben Ahia, a Moor, with a strong dash 
of negro blood ; and Mohammed, our soldier and 

h 2 



100 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



official protector, a slightly-made, good-looking 
Shluh. Two other wild-looking Moors made np onr 
number, one of whom, nick-named Timbarkate, was 
an athletic and amusing fellow, a keen sportsman, 
and, as he subsequently admitted, a rascal of the 
first water. We were seven in all, mounted on 
mules, strong animals, trained to go at a steady 
pace of four miles an hour for the greater part of 
each day. All except Leo were well armed ; the 
soldiers and the muleteers with long Moorish guns 
and daggers, while Mr. Broom and I carried shot 
guns for sport and revolvers for protection. 

The Moors excel in packing for a journey. Four 
mules carried all our equipments. Panniers made 
of strong grass interwoven were first filled with 
various requisites ; of these each mule carried a 
pair, across one of which the mattresses were 
packed, serving as a seat for Leo. The tent and 
other bulky things were stowed away in like 
manner on three other mules, all of which had 
riders. The soldier, like Mr. Broom and myself, 
was unencumbered by baggage. 

We left Mogador early in the afternoon, and 
striking eastward traversed the sandy plain on 
which it is situated. Just outside the town we 
passed a Moorish funeral. A great crowd of tur- 
baned men accompanied the corpse, which, borne 
by sorrowing relatives, was about to be placed 
coffinless in the earth, the crowd singing, as it 
went, a solemn dirge. 



JOURNEY TO THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 101 

Here an instance of wisdom in the precepts of 
Mahomet is worth remarking. Mohammedans 
have always buried the dead outside their towns, 
while we have only recently arrived at the con- 
clusion that this is a sanitary necessity. 

We passed, a little way beyond the town, a 
powder magazine, as also a small building which 
could only be regarded as a monument of Moorish 
incapacity for progress. It had been, till recently, 
used for the manufacture of percussion-caps under 
the superintendence of Europeans ; but difficulties 
arising, no efforts appear to have been made to 
overcome them, other than readily throwing up 
the manufacture. 

Our way now lay through miles of deep sand, 
covered with nothing but the waving branches of 
the artim, or white-blossomed broom, which grows 
to a considerable height. Then commenced a tract 
in which the sand disappeared and the argan-tree 
nourished. In some places these trees were so 
large and numerous as to form a forest of con- 
siderable extent. It was a beautiful tract as seen 
when the slanting rays of the sun lighted up the 
rugged and gnarled trunks of the old trees, and 
as a landscape was worthy of Ruskin's descrip- 
tive power. As we passed along we flushed covey 
after covey of partridges, and longed to go in 
pursuit. At last Timbarkate, seeing one of the 
birds on the ground, succeeded, by a peculiar cir- 
cumventing method used by the Moors, in ap- 



102 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



proaching close enough, to shoot it with a ball 
from his clumsy weapon. The gesticulations and 
self-applause of this wild fellow, as he triumph- 
antly brought us the bird, were highly amusing. 
I killed a beautiful hawk, the skin of which, when 
shown at Mogador, was said to be that of a bird 
unknown there. 1 

Soon after, a cavalry soldier, mounted on a fine 
horse, overtook us, saying he would accompany 
us as our destination was the same. We found 
him a pleasant fellow, but neither then nor after- 
wards could we get any satisfactory account of 
where he came from, or under what orders. We 
conjectured that he was sent as a spy on our 
movements. Our ride to-day was on the whole 
very pleasant. The air was balmy, the heat not 
excessive, while there was a sense of exhilarating 
freedom in thus exchanging the shut-in Moorish 
town for an open, yet finely-wooded, country. 
Not only was the argan-tree abundant, but also 
those of the arar and wild olive. As no rain had 
fallen, the ground was parched, and, but for the 
trees, the country would have been a desert. On 
the left fine views were obtained of the picturesque 
Iron mountains. Had there been grass, many of 
the views would have been those of an English 
park; and, as it was, some of the tree-covered 
hills at a distance closely resembled the wooded 

1 It proved to be Melierax polyzonus. 



JOURNEY TO THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 103 



heights of Surrey. The road, although in some 
places a mere bridle-path, in others expanded into 
one fairly wide and worn smooth by the feet of 
mules and camels. 

As we left Mogador late this was a short day's 
journey of not more than twelve miles to the 
inzella of Lar Arta. It is undesirable to travel 
at night, and it is always necessary to stop at an 
inzella, or place appointed by the Government for 
the reception of travellers. These inzellas are 
situated at convenient distances on the line of 
road between different places. They consist of 
enclosures, more or less spacious, surrounded by 
high walls, but sometimes by almost equally 
secure fences, made with closely-packed branches 
of the thorny sidra shrub. A custodian is appointed 
to take charge of each station, and as there is 
generally a village in connexion with the inzella, 
the head man acts in this capacity. It is his duty 
to set a guard at night, so that travellers under 
his protection may not be suprised by the robbers 
and freebooters with which the country abounds. 
Camels, horses, mules, and asses, are also received 
into the enclosure. Fires are lighted by the 
travellers for the preparation of meals, and they 
sleep stretched on the ground in the open air, or, 
more rarely, in tents. 

The people of the inzella receive a mozouna or 
two, even the latter sum does not amount to a 
penny, for each animal taken into the enclosure. 



104 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Yet such is the parsimony of the Arabs that they 
sometimes prefer to cross mountains in order to 
avoid these small charges. When Europeans 
arrive they are surrounded by a crowd full of 
curiosity, and who, inspired by the hope of high 
pay, are generally civil and obliging. Live fowls, 
eggs, milk, and bread are brought for sale from 
the adjoining huts. Butter is also to be had, but 
no untrained stomach can endure it. As for both 
bread and milk, it will be better for the traveller, 
if he values his peace of mind, not to trouble 
himself about the sanitary condition of the dwell- 
ings from which they have been brought, nor the 
state of the women's hands through which they 
have passed. 

It is desirable not to stop, if possible, at an 
inzella near the bounds of a province. The reason 
is, the ruffians of the adjoining province pass from 
its jurisdiction and congregate at the enclosure. 
In order to do away with the great evils arising 
therefrom, it sometimes happens, as in the case of 
the sanctuary of Sidi Moktar, where formerly, in 
association with an inzella, four provinces met, 
that the boundaries have to be altered, since 
a sanctuary cannot be disturbed. 

September 30th, we were astir early, but a 
vexatious delay occurred. One of the mule's 
bridles had been stolen, and we had nothing to 
replace it with. By the offer of a small reward it 
was at last brought back. The Moors are much 



JOUENEY TO THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 105 

given to petty thefts, and the ingenuity with 
which they excuse or rebut a charge brought 
home to them is sometimes as amusing as it is 
provoking. 

During the delay my companion and I employed 
ourselves in shooting doves, which abound about 
the villages in wooded districts. The species was 
the same as I had met with in the north. It was 
nearly seven o'clock a.m. when we left the inzella, 
and after a ride of about an hour and a half we 
passed piles of stones which form the boundary 
between the provinces of Haha and Shedma. 
Two hours later the station of Klata l'Halsan was 
reached, where, under the shade of some olive- 
trees, and close to a well, we stopped to breakfast. 
Near at hand, perched on a hill in the full glare 
of the scorching sun, was a large saint-house. It 
had a defiant aspect, and could not be approached. 
Moreover, the manners of the inhabitants of the 
place differed from that of the Mogador people, 
and indicated that as we advanced inland sullen 
glances would change to looks of hatred. 

After leaving this inzella we passed by the way- 
side a heap of stones, the purpose of which it was 
difficult for a stranger to guess. It was a murder- 
cairn, and they are not infrequent in the country. 
A poor wretch had, some time or other, been way- 
laid on the spot and sent to his last account. 
Forthwith it became the duty or privilege of 
devout passers-by to place a stone on the place, 



106 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOOES. 



and this had been done, till now a considerable 
heap stood there. This custom may have arisen 
more from a superstitious than a religious feeling, 
but with all its faults there is something in the 
creed of Mecca which tends to soften and 
humanize the hearts of rough, untutored men. 

Our way lay through many miles of palmetto 
tufts, with hardly, so far as we could see, any sign 
of cultivation. Afterwards the soil became sandy, 
and for some distance broom again prevailed. 
Beyond this there was an abrupt rise of ground, 
on the crest of which my aneroid indicated a 
height of 1400 feet. A mile further on, at a 
height of 1250 feet, and distant from Mogador 
about forty-eight miles, the vast plain of Morocco 
opened out. The whole country was here covered 
with an ugly, low-sized thorny bush. 

It was dark when we reached Ain O'must, our 
stopping-place. We had had a hot ride of forty 
miles, and both men and animals were tired and 
thirsty. As soon as we had dismounted at the 
inzella some of the mules which were set free, 
guided by unerring instinct, rushed down hill 
through the darkness to a spring at a considerable 
distance. Mr. Broom and I followed, only to find 
that the water stirred up by the feet of the 
animals was thick with mud. Yet, so great was 
our thirst, even in this state it was acceptable. 
On returning to the inzella our men protested 
that they were too tired to pitch the tent, and that 



JOURNEY TO THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 107 

it was unnecessary, as the night was fine. A little 
firmness soon got over this difficulty. Next the 
villagers declared that they had no eggs nor fowls, 
and it was only by threatening to report them to 
the sultan that necessary supplies were obtained. 
Altogether we had here a chapter of troubles, but 
there was also something to amuse. 

Just outside the gates of the inzella a number 
of Moors seated in a circle were gravely discussing 
the topics of the day, among which our persons 
and personalities were on the tapis. The proper 
method of treating us was also a point discussed. 
We could see their white turbans moving to and 
fro in the darkness, and we felt that our suppers 
might depend on their decision. These reunions 
among the Moors show that they are a clubable 
race. Indeed every village would seem to have its 
open-air evening club. 

We were not sorry to get away from this 
inzella, for, as seen in the early dawn, our fellow- 
travellers and companions of the night were 
an unsightly set, whose company we did not covet. 
Soon after leaving I shot a small owl about the 
size of a thrush ; a matter not worth mentioning, 
except for the temporary mutiny it raised among 
our men. The row was quelled by my promising 
not to kill another. Here, as in some other 
countries, superstition protects the birds of 
Minerva. The country traversed was undulating, 
stony, and barren, with hardly any vegetation but 



108 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



the small sidra shrub. The ground was thickly 
pierced with rat-holes, although it was difficult to 
conjecture what the wretched animals found to 
eat in such a parched desert. Squirrels were also 
seen, and it afforded our Moors something of the 
excitement of the chase to hunt them from bush 
to bush. This uninviting country is scantily in- 
habited by a tribe of indifferent reputation, who 
long ago were removed here from the Sahara. Some 
of these wild fellows who were working at a deep 
well at which we stopped were unincumbered by 
any covering except what the last demands of 
decency required. 

At about a dozen miles from Ain O'must, on the 
right hand side of the road, we passed the famous 
sanctuary of Sidi Moktar already mentioned. 
From Sidi Moktar to Seshoua was a dreary ride of 
nearly twenty miles under a burning sun and over 
a stony, parched soil which threw back upon us 
the sun's heat. At one place, close to a curiously 
shaped hill, there is a large dilapidated cistern 
without water, and in this sfcate it has long re- 
mained. Yet every summer men and animals die 
of heat and thirst in this part of the route between 
the metropolis and the coast. Thus it is that a 
despotic government cares for its subjects. 

Close to Seshoua, and at about a quarter of a 
mile to the left of the road, is another curious hill. 
As we approached it was deceptive in appearing 
nearer than it really was. It was flat-topped, and 



JOURNEY TO THE CITY OE MOROCCO. 309 

resembled a loaf of sugar with its upper half 
removed, and rose abruptly out of the vast plain. 
Between this hill and the river traces of ruins 
covering a considerable space were observed. They 
appeared to be foundations of stone buildings, but 
we could obtain no information with respect to 
them. 

At last, after anxiously scanning the horizon 
many times in vain, a welcome fringe of oleanders 
was discovered. Wherever in its own arid climates 
this beautiful shrub grows, water is certain to be 
at hand. The sight infused fresh vigour into all ; 
for we had ridden about thirty miles, and were 
nearly exhausted. For a large part of the way 
we had suffered much from thirst, as the Arabs, 
who seem to have no forethought, had neglected 
or wasted our supply of water and we resolved 
in this important matter not to trust to them 
again. 

As water in this climate means life, Seshoua 
presented an agreeable contrast with anything we 
had seen since leaving Mogador. Irrigated fields, 
in which maize was springing up, presented that 
shade of delicate green which is so grateful to the 
eye. Various trees and shrubs abounded in rich 
profusion. How gladly we threw ourselves from 
the saddles under the perfect shade of luxuriant 
olive-trees from which the fruit was constantly 
dropping ! What a value the river had in our 
eyes as we drank draught after draught of its 



110 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



tepid water! Our paradise, it must be owned, 
was a trifle too warm. My thermometer, hung 
under the trees, indicated 94° Fahr. A strong 
north-east wind was blowing at the time, yet the 
air was as hot to breathe as the water was to 
drink. Although ascending rather rapidly after 
leaving the level of the sea-board, the temperature 
quickly increased. At Mogador the heat rarely 
exceeded 80° Fahr. ; at Seshoua, eighty miles in- 
land, where the elevation is 1200 feet, the heat 
was exceptional even for the tropics. 

The object of our early arrival and delay here 
was to fish. I was desirous to try once more 
this sport in a Morocco river. After refreshing 
ourselves we went down to the stream, though 
in the fierce heat it required an effort to do so. 
The sight and noise of the flowing water, with its 
verdant banks, excited that kind of vivid pleasure 
which a sudden and agreeable contrast always 
imparts. The river, which flows north to join 
the Tensift, was very low. The volume of water 
did not exceed that of a good-sized mill-stream, 
but its worn banks and rather extensive bed, 
broken here and there with little islands, showed 
that in the rainy season its dimensions are con- 
siderable. We used for bait bread moulded on 
the hook, and also bits of meat, selecting the 
deepest pools to cast in. We were rewarded by 
the capture of a number of small fish which took 
the bait freely. The sport would have been good 



J0UKNEY TO THE CITY OF MOROCCO. Ill 

under more favourable circumstances. But shade 
was wanted, and we felt uncomfortable as to 
venturing amid the overhanging shrubs, lest we 
should be regarded as intruders by a puff-adder, 
or some other deadly reptile, attracted, like our- 
selves, by water and protection from the sun. 

Our fishing was also greatly interfered with by 
the voracity of creatures we never bargained for. 
Again and again the bait was taken from the 
hooks without the usual indication of a fish 
seizing it. But on drawing one of the lines quietly 
up it was observed that the bait was followed to 
the surface by a large tortoise. Having discovered 
the secret, we were able to bring the enemy into 
view repeatedly. Afterwards, as if getting bolder 
by success, this and others of its kind began to 
swallow our hooks, and our lines were broken in 
the attempt we made to pull them out of the water. 
At last, by great management, I contrived to land 
a floundering fellow weighing several pounds. He 
behaved in so reserved a manner that nothing was 
to be seen of his head, for the line passed deeply 
beneath his uncouth armour. By pulling the line 
strongly both head and neck were slowly pro- 
truded, and the hook was found firmly embedded 
in its jaws. To regain this, we decided on a 
surgical operation. So keeping its neck steadily 
extended by means of the line, I proceeded to 
operate with my pen-knife. But no sooner did 
cold steel enter its flesh than back flew the head, 



112 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



as if governed by a powerful spring, into its 
tortoiseshell case, and snap went the line with a 
whiz, leaving the operation, unless with the aid of 
chloroform, hopelessly unfinished, and myself as 
hopelessly deprived of a hook. 

This water-tortoise (Lejprosa Glemmys) is com- 
mon in the rivers of Morocco. They may be ob- 
served poking their heads just above the water, 
to breathe ; but their power of remaining long 
under the surface must also be great. They often 
crawl out of the water on to the banks, off which, 
when disturbed, they plunge with a loud splash 
which is startling. I wanted Timbarkate to carry 
off: my sport-destroyer as a trophy, but with the 
most ridiculous grimaces of disgust he absolutely 
refused to touch it, pointing out that it emitted a 
most disagreeable smell. It was a piece of know- 
ledge I regretted to have acquired. It shook my 
faith for the time in the purity of the element 
I had recently so largely imbibed. There was, 
however, no need for apprehension that a thirst 
such as we had experienced would not get over 
this and far greater scruples. This water-tortoise 
is very voracious, and, as we proved, devours 
equally vegetable and animal substances. 

A practical inconvenience arising out of Leo's 
religion had to be met. Our delay here would 
cause us to arrive in the city on the second 
instead of the day following our leaving this ; and 
that day would be the holy Bosh-ha-Shanah, or 



JOURNEY TO THE CITY OF MOEOCCO. 113 

New- Year's Day of the Hebrews, on which, being 
a strict holiday, no orthodox and pions Jew, such 
as one finds in Barbary, would travel. Nothing 
else could be done than to send him on with the 
cavalry- soldier, who agreed to escort him. Our 
own arrangements were also so disturbed as to 
make it necessary for us to send on our tent 
under their care. 

The inzella here was surrounded by high walls, 
and as the night, like the day, was extremely hot, 
we resolved to brave all risks rather than pass the 
night in that stifling enclosure. We hoped, to 
find cooler quarters in the open under some fine 
trees, and proposed that we should watch by 
turns for protection ; but no persuasion could 
induce our soldier to agree to this plan. 

There was nothing to be done but to put our 
mattresses side by side in the inzella, and try to 
sleep as best we could. I had been consulted 
professionally by several of the villagers, and they 
were obliging and attentive ; but nothing could 
compensate for the drawbacks of that terrible 
night. The floors of all the inzellas are covered 
to the depth of some inches with straw broken 
short, leaves of trees, together with the dried 
dung of camels and other animals. This com- 
pound harbours innumerable insects, from which 
we had already suffered more or less ; but on this 
sultry night all the powers of the insect world 
seemed to have combined against us. We tried 

i 



114 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



to eat a frugal meal of bread and milk and boiled 
eggs, but no sooner was a candle lighted than it 
was extinguished by a host of assailants in the 
shape of gigantic moths, bizarre grasshoppers, 
and, worst of all, great foul-smelling flying bugs. 
This was the least part of our troubles, as we 
managed to dine in the dark ; but when wrapped 
in our jelabeers, and otherwise partially undressed, 
for it was impossible to retain all our clothes, we 
lay down to sleep, we found ourselves at the 
mercy of far more malignant enemies. Fleas, 
ticks, bugs, ants, midges, mosquitoes, and other 
insects for which we could find no name, as well 
as some which are best nameless, all things, in 
short, which could crawl or fly seemed on that night 
to make common cause against us. They attacked 
with suckers, with pincers, and with burning awls 
till we were almost frantic. 1 was constantly 
expecting that a few scorpions would give a 
finishing touch to our misery, for there must 
have been many in the old walls close to where 
we lay. What would have been the end of it is 
hard to say had it not been for a sovereign remedy 
which was fortunately at hand. I had with me a 
box of Persian powder, 2 and wherever the intru- 
ders were thickest we rubbed this into our skins. 

2 This powder is made of the dried leaves of Pyrethrum 
roseum and is an invaluable insecticide. It can be obtained in 
London, and should always be carried by travellers who intend 
to rough it in hot climates. 



JOURNEY TO THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 115 

The effect was almost magical. At these spots 
the invasion was subdued, and by constant appli- 
cations of the powder we gained comparative 
ease, till at length, worn out with worry and 
fatigue, we rested and slept. 

One of the drawbacks to travelling in this 
country is vermin, and the apprehension of losing 
blood from the parasites of the Moors was much 
more before my mind than its loss from their 
daggers. Even the constant use of the bath, the 
shorn heads and scrupulously clean clothes of the 
upper classes do not, in all cases, fit them in 
this respect to be trusted. The theory of equality 
leads to a constant intermixture of classes. The 
saint whose clothes are never washed or changed, 
and are consequently a mass of filthy rags, elbows 
the governor, or sits beside him. The servants 
constantly squat close to you, and every divan or 
seat that is sat upon involves a risk. 

Oct. 2. — We gladly left the uncomfortable quar- 
ters long before daylight. The whole plain was 
mainly covered with sidra bushes. In the dawn- 
ing light we saw some gazelles gracefully scamper- 
ing away through the bushes. At about ten miles 
from Seshoua we reached the village El Beeda, 
where there was a small, but swift stream of good 
water. The huts of this village were conical, 
appearing like an assemblage of large beehives. 
They closely resemble those found in the interior 
of Africa, but are not met with in the north of 

i 2 



116 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Morocco. Some young girls came out and offered 
us water to drink. They wore necklaces of large 
beads with amulets of various kinds, and rudely 
engraved rings of unsoldered brass. Water, as 
usual, had produced its effects here in the shape of 
green fields and fine trees. 

We crossed here the bed of a dry winter- 
torrent which forms the boundary between the pro- 
vinces of Woled-Bu-Sba and Bled-Ahmar. Here 
some rough-looking tax-collectors sat crouching 
under the shelter of a few cut branches of trees 
rudely put together. Every animal passing from 
one province into another must pay toll, but no 
demand was made upon us. 

About ten a.m. the station of Mzoudia was 
reached. This place, which is about thirty miles 
from Morocco, boasts to be something more than 
an inzella. It is a stronghold of the government. 
There is a square space enclosed by walls about 
twelve feet high, with an adobe tower rising to 
thirty-five feet. The people here were extortionate, 
asking us about three halfpence each for eggs, or 
twelve times the proper price. They were a rough 
set, and were surrounded by a pack of ferocious 
dogs. The heat was again excessive, and men and 
animals were almost unable to proceed. Our 
unwarlike soldier especially complained, so we 
rested about three hours. 

From this place the plain was thickly covered 
by a shrub about three feet high which prevailed 



JOURNEY TO THE CITY OF MOEOCCO. 117 

all the way to the palm-groves of the city. It 
gave the country a monotonous and dreary aspect. 
But in this district there is a good deal of 
cultivated land, and a good many fields of wheat- 
stubble were passed. 

On the left-hand side of the road, near Mzou- 
dia, were three small isolated hills called Coudiat 
Ardhous. According to local tradition, Ardhous 
or Arthous was the name of a celebrated Christian 
of a remote period who buried an immense treasure 
in this locality. The passage which leads to the 
treasure is thrown open on one particular day 
every year, but always in a different spot. As 
nobody knows either the time or the place, no one 
has been fortunate enough to obtain the treasure, 
but the sharif who defended the neighbouring 
sanctuary of Cherrady against the arms of Muley 
Abd-er-Bahman. A portion of the buried hoard 
was employed in making war against the sultan, 
who nevertheless succeeded in destroying the 
sanctuary and dispersing the inhabitants. 

My friend M. Beaumier believes that this 
treasure story, which is implicitly credited, is 
founded on the fact of a gold-mine having been 
worked here in ancient times. The abundance of 
quartz found on and about the hills makes this 
probable. 

Our journey to-day was about thirty miles, and 
we passed the night at the inzella of Mshra 
ben Kara, another walled enclosure with a rickety 



118 



MOKOCCO AND THE MOOES. 



wooden gate. There was another acceptable little 
river here. I was awoke during the night by 
some big drops of rain falling on my face. This 
was the first indication of the wet season, but 
nothing more resulted and the barometer remained 
steady. 

Oct. 3. — We left early and soon passed two 
small streams, and at about three miles from 
Mshra crossed a larger one. Not more than a 
dozen yards from this we reached the river Nifys, 
which, from bank to bank, is at this part about 
eighty yards wide, but the water, except where 
pools were formed, was at this season a mere 
stream easily forded by horses. This river takes 
its rise in the Atlas chain, and, flowing through 
the plain of Morocco in a north-westerly direction, 
discharges itself into the Tensift. Its source 
accounts for the variable volume of water it con- 
tains, and its impetuous torrent during the rainy 
season. It then becomes dangerous to cross, and 
as it happens every year is even impassable for 
many consecutive days. Curiously enough another 
satellite stream was passed about the same distance 
from the farther bank as that already mentioned. 

A little beyond the spot where we crossed the 
river, we passed the inzella el Youdy, or inzella 
of the Jews, so named because it was established 
in consequence of the murder of some Jews, on or 
near the site. From this, as we passed onwards, 
we found the colour of the earth to be a reddish 



JOUENEY TO THE GITY OF MOROCCO. 



119 



brown, and that much of the land was under 
cultivation. Gradually the magnificent palm-trees 
of Morocco, at first indistinctly seen on the horizon, 
came more and more into view, and with them the 
grand ridge of the snow-peaked mountains. The 
city itself was distinguishable by its towering 
fringe of green. At length, after a ride from 
Mshra of about sixteen miles, we reached a bridge 
over a stream. This formed, at about two miles 
from the city walls, the boundary of the palm 
groves. Here we halted and were met by a 
courier, who then galloped back to herald our 
approach. 

The small number of people met with on the 
road was remarkable — a great many miles were 
sometimes traversed without our seeing a soul. 
Now and then we passed a sombre caravan of half 
a dozen camels, headed by the leader on a donkey. 
But the trade between Mogador and Morocco is 
not considerable. Men travelling on foot were not 
common ; but at the wells were generally groups 
of men or women employed in drawing water. 
When the women were by themselves they were 
by no means reserved ; they did not seek to cover 
their faces, but rather displayed them with the 
fullest coquetry of their sex. 

The intense heat of the weather, considering 
that October had been entered on, was quite un- 
looked for ; nor could we have conjectured it from 
the temperature at Mogador. But in the interior 



120 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



the heat of summer is continuous until the autum- 
nal rains have cooled the accumulated heat of the 
soil. 

In this journey one thing struck me forcibly, 
that of the peculiar distribution of the vegetable 
products; this, without doubt, arising from the 
great diversity of climate and soil within compa- 
ratively short limits. It almost seemed as if the 
trees and herbs of the soil, like the people who 
inhabited it, were influenced by those exclusive 
tendencies which prevent people of one race or 
one religion from mixing with another. Thus, as 
I have shown, first, a tract covered with broom 
was passed through ; this was succeeded by the 
argan forests ; then came an expanse overgrown 
with palmettoes ; then broom again ; then a small 
thorny shrub, the name of which I did not learn. 
To these followed the sidra shrub ; then one called 
sheeah ; till finally came the palm-groves about the 
city of Morocco. Much of the soil in this great 
extent of country was evidently of the finest 
quality, and it was lamentable to see how little it 
was turned to account. Here and there, at long 
intervals, were a few fields of maize stubble, of 
wheat or barley still fewer, while in the neigh- 
bourhood of rivers would occur patches of green 
maize ; but throughout the whole journey not a 
man or an animal was to be seen at work. 

The plain of Morocco lies between a range of 
low hills on the north and the Atlas range on the 



JOURNEY TO THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 121 

south. It is from twenty-five to thirty miles 
across, and in the direction of east and west seems 
interminable. The soil is, for the most part, 
fertile, and in some places sandy. Rounded 
stones of quartz, flint, porphyry, and cornelian, 
are variously found. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 

On nearing the city we were met by a cavalcade 
of mules and riders. At the head, as leader, was 
Sid Bu Bekr Bil Hadj l'Beshire, to whom I had 
already forwarded several letters of introduction, 
or rather, of strong recommendation. The caval- 
cade as it advanced had a mos-t picturesque effect, 
consisting, as it did, of four or five Moors of the 
higher class, and who, clad in snowy robes, had 
their mules set off by handsome trappings. They 
were attended by servants also mounted. 

After riding together for some distance we 
alighted in a garden, or, more correctly speaking, 
orchard, which was surmounted by high walls of 
tabia. There was no sign of cultivation in the 
way of flowers or vegetables, but abundance of 
flourishing trees which, being principally olives, 
afforded grateful and necessary shade. Under 
these, Moorish carpets were spread, on which we 
seated ourselves in a circle. A tea equipage had 
been sent previously from the city, and by means 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 123 

of a portable fire-place, fed with charcoal, the 
grateful beverage was soon supplied. The teapot 
and tray were plated, and, as is customary in 
Morocco, drinking-glasses were the substitutes of 
china cups. A kind of well-seasoned forcemeat 
was also served along with bread. This had been 
moulded around slender sticks, and was now 
cooked by placing the sticks across the fire, in the 
same manner as the morsels of meat called in the 
East kebab. Plates and dishes were not wanted, 
as the sticks were handed to us in relays, and the 
hot meat picked off as from a bone. Smoking 
followed ; then more tea-drinking, and in this way 
two hours soon passed away. 

During conversation we learnt, to our dismay, 
and even then not so fully as was actually the case, 
that the city of Morocco was in a very disturbed 
state. The sultan was not looked for at any par- 
ticular time, although it was known that he was 
temporarily stationed about eight days' journey 
to the north. From the hostility of the inter- 
vening tribes communication with him was uncer- 
tain, and the reports sent to the coast of his 
victories were, for political reasons, intended to 
mislead. After all the cannon-firing, powder- 
play, and wild revelries we had witnessed, this 
seemed strange news ; but it was true, or nearly 
so, although just then we were unable to see its 
bearings on our own safety. 

A ride of twenty minutes brought us from our 



124 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOORS. 



resting-place to the Doukkela gate of the city. 
The road leading thereto was through lanes and 
spaces bounded by walls built of tabia, these 
enclosing gardens filled with trees of various 
kinds, such as the orange, lemon, citron, olive, 
date-palm, walnut, mulberry, almond, pomegra- 
nate, apple, pear, peach, and other fruits. Ever- 
greens grew also in great luxuriance, and included 
the cypress, cedar, and myrtle. Roses and jas- 
mines were also present. 

We were requested not to display fire-arms 
in our passage through the city; observance of 
which was at once insured by seeing all the guns 
packed on one of the baggage mules. We noticed, 
although at the time we did not attach proper 
significance to the fact, that Bu Bekr and his 
friends went quickly away just as we approached 
the gate. Before leaving, he cautioned me on no 
account to stir from the house allotted to us, 
unless accompanied, in addition to our own guard, 
by some soldiers supplied by the governor of the 
city, to whom I had letters of recommendation 
from the Governor of Tangier. 

Thus entering the city, our way lay through 
waste places and narrow winding streets, in parts 
much crowded. With the exception of some 
spitting and hissing noises from the mob, and 
their generally sullen looks and muttered curses, 
there was little to mark my first impressions 
of Morocco except its likeness to the Oriental 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 125 



cities I had already visited. Most things, however, 
wore a more African tinge. The black race was 
more numerous here, and there were many indica- 
tions that the western Arab is several degrees 
lower in the scale of civilization than his eastern 
co-religionists. 

Sid Bu Bekr held quite an exceptional position 
in the city. Without being a governor or a 
courtier he was wealthy ; and, what was more 
important, he enjoyed exemption from being 
squeezed to disgorge his wealth. A few years 
previously the leading commercial firm in Mogador 
conceived the idea of extending their trade to this 
city by consignment of goods on commission. As 
there were no European residents, the firm were 
obliged to obtain the services of a Moorish citizen, 
as also, for obvious reasons, to take care that he 
was protected by the cegis of British power. Thus it 
was that our new friend Bu Bekr became rich, and 
that his property and person were comparatively 
secure. As a natural sequence of circumstances 
of this character, he became a man of power; 
more it was stated than that of many governors. 
But this solitary pre-eminence had its draw- 
backs. He was envied and hated by his country- 
men, and an attempt was soon made to poison 
him. 

As no Mohammedan ever dreams of placing 
men, and above all strangers, on familiar terms 
with his family, it becomes necessary, in the 



126 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



exercise of hospitality, and where no hotels exist, 
to provide guests with house-room. 

In Morocco it is the practice to give strangers 
an empty house situated either in one of the 
numerous gardens within the walls, or else in a 
street, with the use of a garden elsewhere; for 
during the hot weather it is usual to pass much 
of the day in the open air on carpets spread 
underneath shady trees. We expected a garden, 
but only a small house in the Moorish quarter was 
assigned to us. On dismounting at the door we 
were by no means favourably impressed with the 
appearance of our residence. It was situated in a 
narrow, but fortunately, not filthy street ; and its 
windowless walls of uncoloured clay and little 
dingy door gave it an aspect altogether sepulchral. 
Had the words " Abandon hope, all ye who enter 
here " appeared above the door, they would have 
seemed not out of place. There was but a single 
story, and narrow stone stairs conducted to our 
quarters, which were two small rooms on either 
side a central square room. Two other rooms 
were also on this floor. 

A man accustomed to be boxed up within glazed 
windows feels instinctively out of place when 
housed without windows at all. I had often tried 
to realize the domestic life of antiquity, but never 
successfully till thus necessitated to inhabit apart- 
ments which derived light and air from the door 
alone. Our rooms were, in all essential points, 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 127 

identical with those in ancient Roman houses, and 
thus one at least gained a new experience. 

The interior of the house proved superior to 
its outside promise, for it was bright and clean. 
The central room was fourteen feet square and of 
good height. In the middle of the roof was a 
square opening or impluvium crossed by iron bars 
through which the sky was visible ; but there was 
no corresponding tank or compluvium to collect 
rain-water in the floor, only a grated aperture 
through which the water could run off. The 
ceiling was decorated in an arabesque style, of 
which the prevailing colour was green. As already 
stated two narrow rooms opened from this central 
one. To these handsomely arched doorways gave 
admittance, the sills being paved with glazed 
tiles. One we use'd as bed and sitting-room, the 
other was assigned to our servants and guards. 
The doors were of unpainted wood, and, for 
greater convenience, each was pierced with a 
smaller one. Both walls and floors were covered 
with a smooth compound or stucco, in the use of 
which the Moors excel; the walls were white, 
with a dado of a rich, reddish-brown colour, which 
was altogether Pompeian. The only furniture 
were the mattresses and carpets belonging to 
our tent. A young Moor to act as cook was 
added to our establishment by Sid Bu Bekr, 
and we at once settled down to keep house in 
Morocco with a sense of grateful rest after a 



12S 



MOSOCCO AXD THE MOORS. 



long and hot journey. Yet it must be added 
that there were many indications which foreboded 

us no sood. 

<_ 

Our troubles soon commenced. We had, in fact, 
fallen on evil days. The inhabitants, always hos- 
tile to the Kaffir, as the unbeliever is called, were 
just then in a state of almost open revolt. Accord- 
ingly next morning, October 4th, I received a 
message from Sid Ibrahim Geroui, Governor of 
the City, in reply to my letters of introduction, 
that it was impossible for him to send us any 
guards or even to receive me. He was himself in 
a critical position. Were he to supply us with 
soldiers, the fact would become known to the 
townspeople, and draw down upon us the hostility 
of the faction opposed to him. He advised us to 
use great caution in going about, and to appear 
always in the Moorish dress. 

Owing to the reverses the sultan had expe- 
rienced, a revolution had taken place in the city a 
month previous to our visit. El Geroui, a power- 
ful ruler of the adjoining country, had deposed 
Ben Daoud, then Governor, and, imprisoning him 
in his house, still kept him there. On this account 
the townspeople were divided into hostile factions, 
and only two days before our arrival there had 
been much serious fighting in the streets. Great 
precautions were being taken to prevent an out- 
break. 

In all Moorish towns the gates leading into the 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OP MOEOCCO. 129 

country are closed soon after sunset, and in this, 
the capital, the Jewish quarter is also isolated and 
protected. In addition to this every street is at 
each end provided with a gate of its own, and this 
not merely one easy to climb, but a solid piece of 
woodwork set in a massive archway. As some of 
the streets are very short these defences appear, in 
consequence, very numerous. 

At- night they were all closed and strongly 
guarded. As for ourselves, we found that we 
were little better than prisoners, with a certain 
liberty of action. When we went out, those who 
remained within immediately secured the door, 
and the same precaution was taken upon our 
return. We saw that Sid Bu Bekr was uneasy 
about our safety, and it was quite evident to my 
companion that the object of his mission would be 
fruitless. He gave up all thought of making any 
claim against the Moor indebted to him, as to do 
so in the then threatening state of public affairs 
would be an act of sheer madness. 

As for myself, it was equally plain that my plans 
would be greatly interfered with. It has been 
already stated that the Sharif of Wazan had given 
me a letter of recommendation to Muley Hassan, 
the sultan's eldest son, from which I expected 
much consideration. It was supposed the sultan 
could not refuse the sharif a request, although 
such a letter was an exceptional favour, and one 
not previously given to a European. 

K 



130 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



It had been generally believed that the sultan 
would enter the capital about the time of our 
arrival, and I had hoped for a presentation to 
that potentate, and by such means to gain access 
to information, and to secure an influence not 
otherwise obtainable. But the sultan had not 
arrived, and no one could form an idea when he 
would. It might be in a week, a month, or 
longer. We therefore resolved to wait the course 
of events, and see as much of the city and neigh- 
bourhood as circumstances would permit. 

Our great difficulty was about guards, as the 
men clamoured for an addition to their number. 
We only managed to pick up one, but whether 
in case of need he was to be depended on was 
uncertain. 

Attended by our whole retinue, all well armed, 
we sallied out on foot to the Jewish quarter, in 
search of the house of Signor Abraham Korkos. 
This gentleman, to whom I had forwarded a letter 
of introduction, is the principal Jewish merchant 
in the city, and also acts as agent for the sultan. 
We had some distance to go, but beyond sundry 
dark scowls and maledictions from those we met, 
and for which we were prepared, nothing occurred 
worth noticing. We found on our arrival that 
Signor Korkos, who had invited us to breakfast, 
was unfortunately very ill ; but his son worthily 
performed the duties of host. The spacious house 
inhabited by these gentlemen was built, as cus- 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 131 

tomary, round a central court, and furnished in 
the Moorish fashion. Our breakfast consisted of 
the staple dish kuskusoo, omelets, pigeons cooked 
in argan oil, forcemeat, mutton, and sweet pota- 
toes, together with, wine from Deminet, which, 
mixed with water, forms an agreeable beverage. 
During conversation we learned much as to the 
true state of public affairs. A courier had just 
arrived from the sultan, who was at Tedla, four 
days' journey to the north. It was quite true that 
the imperial arms had met with a check, but this 
sultan was the first who had attempted to enter 
the refractory province, He was now fighting 
his way therefrom, and might be shortly expected 
in his southern capital, which he had not visited 
for five years, and where he was anxiously looked 
for. 

I had afterwards the opportunity of visiting 
several Jewish families and of observing their 
habits. The women here did not seem so re- 
markable for beauty as in other places in the 
empire. The application of kohl to the eyelids, 
and of henna to the hands, appeared universal 
among them when young. 

A little circumstance occurred during one of my 
visits, the narration of which will illustrate the 
oriental apathy prevailing here. Though so simple, 
I could scarcely contain my gravity. While con- 
versing with a lady, I observed that her eyes, which 
were inflamed, attracted to them a number of trouble- 

k 2 



132 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



some flies. One in particular so posted itself that it 
could stoop over and thrust its proboscis between 
the lids at the inside corner of one eye. Each 
time this was done the lady merely shut her eye 
with a jerk, instead of using her hand to sweep off 
the pest. The fly, as impassive as his victim, 
merely backed a little, withdrew his sucking tube 
for an instant, and then began again. In small 
things, as in more important matters, passiveness 
was the rule. 

Oct, 5. — We were awoke twice during the 
night by a strange rustling noise in the room. I 
thought it was caused by a rat, but my friend's 
more practised ear attributed it, and rightly, to a 
snake which had issued from a hole in the floor 
of the anteroom. These household snakes are 
not venomous, and are never molested, as they 
perform the office of cats in killing rats and 
mice. 

We visited Sid Bu Bekr in his newly-built 
house, in the street called Kart Ben Alud. He 
received us in a room with small glass windows 
which were decorated with finely wrought iron of 
Moorish workmanship. In place of chairs were 
low divans covered with carpets aud luxurious 
cushions. We saw also a European clock, which 
a man was engaged in cleaning. Tea was served 
in really beautiful china coffee-cups by a black 
female slave of fine figure, and everything about 
was perfectly neat and clean. Afterwards our 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 133 

friend showed us his bedroom, which was partially 
covered by an English carpet. His bed was 
arranged on the floor, and over it hung a talisman 
in the form of a small picture representing the 
soles of Mohammed's shoes, which were covered 
with well executed inscriptions from the Koran. 
At the top of the picture were some antique 
characters, which the Moors themselves could not 
read. 

It was, as may be supposed, a step beyond the 
strict rules of Moorish decorum for Sid Bu Bekr 
even to admit Christians to his house ; beyond this 
he could not go, and his harem was, of course, 
closed to us. But its inmates were not altogether 
invisible, for on passing from room to room we 
observed, through lattices and half-opened doors, 
numerous dark and gleaming eyes, peering above 
the white cloth which concealed the lower part of 
the features. The curiosity excited by our presence 
was apparently intense. 

Sid Bu Bekr endeavoured to excuse the con- 
duct of his friend, El Geroui. " Had the latter," 
he said, " had timely notice, he would have sent to 
Mogador and prevented our undertaking a journey 
to Morocco at a season so unpropitious." " Such," 
El Geroui had declared, " was the state of public 
affairs, that it was God only who was keeping the 
people quiet. He neither could nor would under- 
take to protect us or answer for our safety, and 
could only depend on Bu Bekr to aid us privately. 



134 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



He had sent a despatch to that effect to Mr. 
Carsensten, the British Consul at Mogador." 
For himself, Bu Bekr added, " that it was quite 
true that a guard of the governor's soldiers would 
be injurious rather than serviceable, as the people 
would attack us in order to get him into trouble 
with the sultan, who would not probably reach the 
city yet for some time." This information was far 
from satisfactory. 

Having obtained our mules, we rode through 
the city to the Bab Aghmat or south-eastern 
gate, and then turning to the south crossed the 
little river Ixia. On the right was a large Moorish 
cemetery towards which a funeral possession was 
wending its way. Carefully avoiding it, we pushed 
on over an extensive piece of level ground used 
as a government wheat farm. The extremity of 
the city walls being reached, there commenced 
the long, high earthen wall which surrounds the 
garden of the sultan. This, called the garden of 
Aguidel, is of great extent, and contains some 
buildings. A gate which we passed had archi- 
tectural pretensions, and was fortified with a few 
small guns. To the interior we were unable to 
gain admission, but, judging from the glimpses 
obtained, there was nothing lost. Like other 
gardens we had seen, it was merely a vast orchard, 
and though containing many fine trees, was wholly 
neglected, the ground for the most part being a 
mere garden of weeds. 



EESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOEOCCO. 135 

Re-entering the city by the same gate, we rode 
through much waste and neglected ground. Here 
were women washing clothes at the aqueducts, 
and men lounging about or praying devoutly. In 
one place gunpowder was in the process of manu- 
facture in a manner the most primitive, as were 
also other articles in ways as simple. 

At length we reached the object of our search ; 
the far-famed mosque known as Katoubia. It 
stands in an open part of the city, adorned with 
gardens, and will be presently described. 

During our long rambles on this day we 
avoided, as much as possible, all crowds and 
thoroughfares, nevertheless we were, as usual, the 
objects of curses and invectives. Many of these 
would not bear translation, one of the mildest 
being " May God burn your father, Christian 
dog ! " The Moors consider it the greatest insult 
to curse the parents of those they hate. 

My first experiment with the Moorish costume 
in full was not satisfactory, for hitherto I had 
only worn the jelabeer. The weather was sultry, 
and my efforts to keep on the ill-fitting yellow 
slippers while walking were most fatiguing. It 
was also very irritating, whether walking or 
riding, to have the haik continually falling down. 
This garment is a long white sheet worn folded in 
a peculiar way round the body, while one end is 
thrown over the left shoulder. These mischances 
were not solely due to inexperience, for the Moors 



136 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



themselves were constantly adjusting the end of 
these flowing garments as they walked along, and 
often to the danger of the eyes of passers-by. 

It was obvious enough that our disguise was 
only a rough one. In spite of turban and beard, 
sunburning, and flowing robes, we were easily 
recognizable as Europeans when close to a Moor. 
At a little distance, however, the disguise was 
sufficiently effective to keep us from being mobbed, 
more particularly as when under observation we 
always kept moving. 

Oct. 6. — On this day we went early to the 
grain-market, which is held in an open space in 
the centre of the city. Wheat and Indian corn 
were being sold to customers, while the camels 
and mules which had conveyed these articles to 
the city stood about in great numbers. As there 
were said to be many rough fellows here, we 
avoided their proximity in passing through. We 
had also been cautioned on no account to tread 
upon the corn exposed for sale. The Moors have 
a superstition in respect to this, and would have 
made it a pretext for attacking us. 

As I had a desire to see the interior of the 
principal jail, a request was made to Bu Bekr 
that he would obtain from the authorities an 
order to admit us ; but he failed in this, and 
therefore we resolved to endeavour to get in 
through our own address. 

This prison, though not very extensive, was at 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOEOCCO. 137 

this date much crowded, containing, it was said, 
a thousand inmates. As the food supplied to 
those who have no friends is limited in quantity 
and bad in quality, and the sanitary condition of 
the place was bad in the extreme, the mortality 
among the prisoners was great. 

The prison was, as we found, situated in a 
much-frequented thoroughfare ; and opposite the 
entrance we saw the vice-governor of the city 
seated on the bare ground, with his back against 
a wall. He was engaged in trying causes, and 
a little group of litigants and witnesses were 
crouched around, the eyes of all being fixed with 
eagerness on the judge. There was in the whole 
proceedings much of the pathetic and comic inter- 
mingled. It was just one of those scenes which, 
having been transmitted from the eye to the 
brain, becomes, so to speak, photographed there- 
on, and can at will be easily recalled. 

The kadi himself was a fine old man — spare, 
erect, and his looks kind in an exceptional degree. 
I ventured, therefore, to address him, and asked 
permission to see the prison, which was cour- 
teously granted. Believing that this permission 
was sufficient, we entered the gate, our men con- 
veying a quantity of bread as a present to the 
prisoners. Reaching a courtyard covered with 
trellised vines, we found a number of guards, 
through whom we passed, and had already 
reached a passage leading into the interior of 



138 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOORS. 



the prison, when, in spite of remonstrances, we 
were pushed rudely back to where, on one side of 
the court and on a kind of dais, three magnates 
were seated in state. Before these worthies we 
were placed, and one of them, a certain Muley El 
Gralli, with a look and tone of voice the reverse 
of complimentary, told us he did not care whose 
permission we had, we should not see the pri- 
soners, and that we must go away with all speed. 
I replied that we were Englishmen, who had no 
other object in view than to see as much as pos- 
sible of the country ; that I had a letter from the 
Sharif of Wazan to the son of the sultan ; and 
these facts considered, his conduct was not only 
uncivil but unjustifiable. His tone was now 
altered. He civilly explained the difficulties of 
the case — the disturbed state of the city — and 
added that the number of prisoners was very 
great, and that the keys of the prison were sent 
every afternoon, for greater security, to the 
sultan's palace. He also said he could not grant 
our request, but promised that our offering of 
bread should be distributed among the most 
needy prisoners. With this we had to be content, 
as our friend the kadi could not or would not 
interfere; and, to say the truth, we had seen 
enough of this gloomy, ill-omened place. 

The three men referred to seemed to form a sort 
of court-martial, the city being in a state of siege. 
For convenience, apparently, they thus sat within 



BESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOKOCCO. 139 

the walls of the prison, to order the putting 
quickly under lock and key any one they thought 
proper, whether delinquent or not. Each one in 
power was afraid of the other, and the state of 
general distrust was indeed lamentable. 

After this we managed to see a good deal of 
the markets and shops of the city; but to these 
subjects I shall refer farther on. Before the day 
was over our government soldier absconded, a 
circumstance which did not look favourable. It 
was the result, we feared, of an intrigue, in order 
that it might appear, should any calamity befall 
us, that we had been going about unprotected by 
a soldier, as required by the authorities in the 
case of all Christians. 

Our manner of life in the house was the same 
every day. Nothing favoured that feeling of secu- 
rity which we associate with the idea of being at 
home. But the men enjoyed their rest greatly, as 
also the food provided for them, and made them- 
selves merry after their own fashion with feasting 
and music. The boisterous merriment and flute- 
playing were at times rather oppressive ; and the 
street noises had a painful interest not easily for- 
gotten. Sometimes the shouting and uproar of a 
crowd met our ear, and then we felt that, should an 
outbreak occur between the rival factions, the pre- 
sence of infidels accredited to one side would not be 
forgotten by the other. Under these circumstances, 
the possession of an American rifle capable of dis- 



140 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



charging eighteen bullets without reloading was 
an unspeakable comfort. We felt that the narrow 
stairs ■ could be long defended by our superior 
weapons, and that, if even destruction at last 
overtook us, it would be only after a resistance 
most disastrous to our assailants. 

The gossip of the town, picked up by our 
servants, amused us greatly. In imagination we 
were transported as it were to the remote days of 
Greece and Rome, when, although art and litera- 
ture had both reached a point of surpassing 
excellence, there were no printing-presses to give 
ready expression to the opinions and desires of 
the populace. Yet news must have been as 
eagerly sought after in those stirring days as in 
our own, and its acquisition was probably culti- 
vated with an assiduity we can now scarcely 
realize. And such was the bent of the citizens of 
Morocco. All our movements appeared to be 
as well known as though daily chronicled in a 
penny newspaper. The Moors are naturally 
communicative, and, as happens in India, the 
bazaars take the place of clubs for the interchange 
of news. Therein therefore our affairs were 
discussed, and we heard, among other things, that 
the city authorities were, for politic reasons, very 
uneasy about our safety. Rumour also confirmed 
what we had been previously told, that though 
we anxiously awaited that event, no time could 
be depended on for the sultan's arrival. This 



KESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOKOUCO. 141 

was likewise the opinion of Signor Korkos, who 
undertook to forward my letter to Muley Hassan. 
Signor Korkos would not listen to my propo- 
sition that we should try to make our way to 
the sultan, as it was impossible, he said, to tell 
the exact state of the intervening country, and, 
considering the excitement of the tribes inhabit- 
ing it, the risk of such a journey would be very 
great. 

It is surprising how soon, through habit, one be- 
comes reconciled to what at first was disagreeable. 
After an experience of some days we grew 
accustomed to sitting on the floor, though at 
first it was very irksome, the soft Moorish 
carpet being all the furniture thought necessary 
for ordinary domestic life ; and thus we gra- 
dually learnt that a number of articles, seemingly 
necessary to Europeans, may be easily dispensed 
with. 

Our food was not bad. It consisted chiefly of 
fowls, pigeons, and partridges, but the cooking 
spoiled it. The birds were invariably served soaked 
in argan oil, to like which requires long habit. 
Fowls, however, formed an invariable dish, and 
they were always brought alive to the house. 
The first indications of dinner were the cries of 
the unhappy birds while in the act of being killed. 
This was a somewhat savage way of whetting ones 
appetite ; but it is the invariable custom to cook 
animal food immediately after death. A bird 



142 MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



commonly called tabib, the doctor, was our 
constant companion at meals. 1 

A message was sent us through Bu Bekr from 
the prison magnates to the effect that we might 
inspect that place. They probably thought it 
would be wise to conciliate us ; but we had by 
this time learned to estimate, at their true value, 
promises and engagements made by such people ; 
for it appeared to be a general habit to make 
offers and promises and then evade fulfilment by 
paltry tricks. We were tired of this sort of 
thing. 

Our runaway soldier turned up, but as to where 
he had been, or what he had been doing, we could 
gain no satisfactory information. On this day 
we paid a second visit to Signor Korkos. On our 
way, while passing the prison, an emaciated 
corpse, scantily covered with dirty rags, was being 
brought through the gate. Lying stretched on a 
board, beyond which the uncovered head and feet 
projected, it was a sad spectacle of dishonoured 
humanity, though in keeping with the dismal 
place from which it issued. 

As on a former occasion our breakfast, or rather 
luncheon, was excellent, and consisted of many 
articles ; among others, of a roast turkey ; and 
it is a curious circumstance that this bird is 
peculiar to the city. Not one can be had any- 

1 See Chapter on Natural History. 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OP MOROCCO. 143 

where on the coast, except such as are occasionally 
brought from Morocco as rarities. A sheep had 
also been killed for us ; but it could not be used, 
as it had on inspection been found unlawful. 

When the meal was over we ascended to the 
flat roof of the house, from which a good view of 
the city and neighbourhood was obtained. It was 
only, indeed, when in this, the Jews' quarter, that 
we felt secure enough to look about us without 
apprehension and breathe, as it were, freely. I 
availed myself of the opportunity to take a view 
of the place by means of the dry photographic 
process, and this, which is here reproduced in a 
wood engraving, gives a good idea of the general 
appearance of the city, with its narrow streets, 
terraced roofs and windowless houses, its mosques 
and gardens. In the distance, on the right, the 
majestic Atlas chain appears. Such is the purity 
of the atmosphere that it is difficult to realize the 
true distance of the mountains from the city; 
sixteen miles is about the measurement, but it 
seems to be not more than eight. The lofty tower 
of the Katoubia is seen to the left of the moun- - 
tains. The woodcut gives a good idea of the large 
space covered closely with houses, viewed in a 
north-west direction from the quarter of the 
Jews. Even supposing that one had the choice, 
perhaps no better point of view could have been 
selected. 

We rode afterwards to the large open space 



144 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



called Djemaa El Fna, where festivities, as also 
markets, are held, and which is commonly full of 
people. The first thing was to look for the heads 
of the sultan's enemies nailed to the wall set apart 
for such exhibitions. As already said, we were 
informed before reaching the city that these heads 
were to be seen in hundreds. But we looked in 
vain, as might have been concluded from the state 
of affairs so lately revealed to us. 

Proceeding farther into the square, we observed 
a snake-charmer and a man with monkeys, the 
place being noted for these exhibitions. I re- 
quested the former to begin his performance, 
and the man at once pulled out two hideous 
reptiles from a basket, and began to flourish 
them about his head. A crowd of roughs, men 
and boys, rapidly collected. We kept aloof as 
much as possible ; nevertheless the mob showed 
signs of hostility and began to jeer. Some man 
in authority who was near ran immediately to 
the snake-charmer and stopped the performance. 
We saw at once that our position was not safe, 
and that this interference was for the purpose 
of checking an imminent disturbance. But the 
worst part was that our guards began to avoid 
us, so that it seemed likely we should, in case of 
a row, be deserted. Our interpreter Leo, on this 
occasion, gained golden opinions. We could not, 
by the most generous interpretation of his ordi- 
nary conduct, attribute to him personal courage ; 



^RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOEOCCO. 145 

but now, seated on his mule, he harangued the 
populace, and seemed for the instant to keep them 
in check. " The Christian gentlemen," he said, 
" had not come there to eat Moors, but to see 
what was to be seen, to learn what they could, and 
do good if possible." His speech was short, for 
we all thought it prudent to beat a retreat as fast 
as spurs could induce our animals to move. 

As soon as we had distanced the hooting crowd 
an amusing incident occurred. Ben Ahia rushed 
up to me with flashing eyes, and the veins of his 
dark forehead swollen with rage. He that never 
could be induced to speak two consecutive words 
of English, now gave vent to his thoughts with 
the utmost energy and volubility. " Missar Doc- 
tor ! Leo one rascal ! Kill all ! Too much brandy ! 

Too much d m Scotch ! " By this he clearly 

implied that Leo, by his delay with the crowd, had 
endangered our lives, and the reason he had acted 
so was that he was under the influence of brandy. 

The words " d m Scotch" puzzled us, but were 

subsequently explained. Among the Mogador 
men the term " Scotch " has a meaning of its own, 
and one not complimentary. Some years previ- 
ously a dissipated Scotch sea-captain, of Herculean 
build, was detained with his vessel in that port. 
Whenever he came on shore he was in the habit of 
thrashing the Moors in the most merciless manner, 
and without provocation. He became, therefore, 
so much dreaded and hated that the name of his 

L 



146 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



nation has, in the Mogador jargon, come to mean 
a bully of the worst class. As for Leo's conduct, 
there could be no doubt that an over-liberal allow- 
ance of mahaya at breakfast had been the exciting 
cause of his unwonted fire. 

We rode from this market or open space through 
the city to its north-western extremity, and out by 
the Doqualla gate; our object was to visit El 
Hara, the village of lepers, a little way outside it. 
The village is of considerable size and surrounded 
by walls. There is only one entrance, close to 
which is the sanctuary of the patron saint, Sidi 
Ben Nor. On this account an objection was made 
to my entering the village ; but a number of lepers 
soon made their appearance and were very friendly. 
Many of them showed no outward sign of disease. 
They form a community apart, and have a mosque, 
a prison, and a market of their own ; they buy 
and sell, and also cultivate the land. The number 
of lepers was stated to be about 200. Many of 
them came from long distances — from Haha, Sus, 
and even the Sahara. Some had resided thirty 
years in the village, and there were a few very 
aged people among them. The village had also 
a Jewish quarter, but though a few years previ- 
ously it had held five residents, none were there at 
this period of our visit. 

Notwithstanding the rigid separation of the 
leper population, the Moors show little or no fear 
of contagion ; they pass to and fro into the leper 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 147 

villages freely, though the lepers are not allowed 
to enter the city. Some of them were miserable 
objects. We saw them about the city gate either 
slowly dragging themselves along or else seated 
on the ground, loudly appealing to the charity of 
passers by. 

In the group which congregated about us in the 
village, alteration of the voice was a very marked 
symptom. Many spoke with a huskiness which 
denoted that the terrible malady had attacked the 
windpipe ; in some cases a tubercle or two on the 
forehead, or at the side of the nose, was all that 
made it imperative on the lepers to separate them- 
selves from the healthy. Some had lost, more 
or less, the fingers of both hands; others, the 
toes of both feet. No application is made to 
the corroding sores, nor is any internal remedy 
used. Washing at the sacred well of the saint- 
house, which is supposed to possess virtues, is 
all that is required or attempted in the way of 
cure. 

There were more women than men in the 
village, so the lepers informed us ; but this might 
be due, in this case, to polygamy, as experience 
in other places has shown that leprosy attacks 
men more than women. The children of leprous 
parents are, as we also learnt here, sometimes, but 
not usually, diseased. The causes assigned for 
leprosy were overwork, and drinking cold water 
while perspiring ; and the lepers added, that God 

l 2 



148 



MOEOOCO AND THE MOORS. 



sends the disease to punish people for their sins. 
Some of those we saw made pretence of medical 
knowledge. The governor of Mogador told me 
that he had, when in Morocco, been treated by 
one of them, and he showed me the scars on his 
arm caused by the actual cautery then applied. 

We reached our house about eight o'clock and 
dined on fowls stewed, as usual, in argan oil. 
While at dinner Mr. Broom remarked that the oil 
had an unusual taste, and no sooner did we lie down 
after the meal than we both became exceedingly 
unwell. Fortunately Leo did not eat, as was his 
custom, any of this food after we had dined, as he 
was observing a rigid fast. 

Strange as it may seem, the cause of our illness 
did not occur to me ; and, if it had, no antidotes 
were at hand. Gur symptoms were, great pain 
and prostration, together with those referable to 
a strong cathartic. We passed a wretched night, 
and lay the next day prostrate and without the 
power of taking food. I do not wish to dwell on 
this disagreeable episode, though there can be no 
doubt our food had been poisoned. The use and 
effects of arsenic are well known to the Moors, 
and poisoning is a common crime among them. 
In this dastardly attempt to destroy us this potent 
drug had been probably used. 

During this wretched day the effect which our 
condition had upon the people surrounding us 
was remarkable. Both the soldier and Moorish 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 149 

servants would come and look at us in silence, 
then go away, but soon return. We afterwards 
found that all were of the same opinion as to the 
cause of our illness, and fully expected we should 
die. As for Leo, his attention deserves a passing 
tribute. Indeed, it was a most fortunate thing 
for us, as well as himself, that he did not eat the 
poisoned food. This he afterwards attributed, 
with much fervour, to the interposition of God, 
because the attempt was made on a day when his 
religious observances preserved him from danger. 
We thought it prudent to observe great reticence 
on the subject. 

Oct. 9. — We felt very unwell this morning, and 
our position was anything but reassuring. The 
attempt to poison us might be repeated, or our 
lives be attempted by open violence. We no 
longer wished to remain for the sultan's arrival, 
but to get away as speedily as possible from this 
inhospitable place. This desire became paramount 
with us. Although, as yet, not strong enough to 
travel, we resolved to go out, feeling sure that 
what had occurred to us was widely known ; and 
that even before the attempt was made some few 
were in the secret. There would be satisfaction 
in an open display of ourselves to our enemies, and 
we resolved, should any open attack be made, to 
retaliate to the utmost of our power. 

The first thing we did was to visit Bu Bekr. 
He was unwilling to admit that while under his 



150 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



protection we had been subjected to an attempt on 
our lives. He was very anxious to be acquitted 
of all blame in the matter, and referred to the 
letter he had caused me to write for despatch to 
the consul at Tangier on the very morning the 
attempt was made, stating that he was taking 
every means for our protection. He suggested 
that our illness might have been caused by the 
food we had partaken of in the Jews' quarter, and 
mentioned other improbabilities which tried our 
patience to hear. In conclusion, he offered to 
assist me in seeing everything in the city and 
neighbourhood ; at the same time highly approving 
of our resolve to leave for the coast as soon as 
possible. The truth was our presence was an 
embarrassment to him, and which we on our part 
were anxious to remove. 

At his suggestion we rode out of the city, to 
see the garden of Muley Ali, one of the sultan's 
sons. It contained an abundance of fine trees, and 
a large alcove much out of repair. In front of it 
was a fountain without water, and around it were 
a number of little conduits so arranged as to 
form antique Arabic characters, which together 
expressed a passage in the Koran. We also visited 
a bridge over the Tensift, situated, as Bu Bekr had 
assured us, at no great distance, but which we 
found was a full hour's ride from the city. His 
object, as we saw at once, in suggesting this visit, 
had been to get us out of the way. The bridge, 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 151 



he had told us, was a marvel of construction. It 
proved to be a very ancient structure, eighteen 
feet in width, thrown across the river at a place 
where it has a breadth of two hundred yards. 
The water was still very low, and many of the 
arches were dry; but altogether it was the best 
evidence of public spirit we had yet seen in the 
country, and must have been built long before the 
present lamentable condition of political and social 
affairs. 

Bu Bekr had proposed to meet us on our 
return and accompany us to the emperor's palace 
and other places. We accordingly met him. and 
some of his friends, but he began instantly to find 
fault with our delay, and pretended it was then 
too late to carry out his intention of showing us 
places of interest in the city. Far from well, and 
very tired, we passively acquiesced, for we had no 
inclination for further exertion that day. But we 
perceived in an instant that a Moorish dodge was 
being practised ; there having been no intention, 
and probably no power, to make good the proposal 
and gratify our curiosity. I had already had many 
occasions to observe the specious and ready falsity 
of these people and their roundabout methods to 
deceive. 

We rode on amicably together, but approaching 
a market held just without the city walls, our 
pretended friends sneaked off in advance, and 
finally left us altogether. Nothing could be more 



152 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



evident than that they were afraid to be seen in 
out company. On reaching our house we had 
immediately fresh evidence of the incorrigible 
propensity of the Moors for lying and deceit. 
Our cook, not knowing that we had just left Bu 
Bekr, greeted us by saying that that gentleman 
had sent his respects, and hoped we had enjoyed 
our ride. TTe were disheartened and weary, and 
at once resolved to leave the city for Sam next 
morning, and accordingly the evening: was occu- 
pied in making preparations for our departure. 

In reference to the motives which led to the 
dastardly attempt to deprive us of life, we give the 
opinion current among the Moors. As already 
stated, the city was divided into two factions ; the 
majority espousing the cause of El Geroui, the 
ruler in power ; the minority, that of Ben Daoud, 
a man of notoriously bad character, who had been 
recently deposed. Thus, Ben Daoud, being an 
unscrupulous man, and giving full scope to the 
maxim "the end justifies the means," had, there 
is little doubt, commissioned one or more persons 
to attempt our lives. The chief motive was. that 
so soon as the sultan should enter his capital an 
international difficulty would be ready to em- 
barrass him, and being given to understand that 
this murder of two Englishmen had followed El 
Geroui the usurper's accession to power, the 
deed would be placed to his account, and his 
cause be damaged in the eyes of the sultan, while 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 153 

that of his rival, Ben Daoud, would be proportion- 
ately benefited. 

The hatred commonly entertained by the Moors 
for Christians renders it impossible, as already 
stated, to travel in the interior of Morocco unless 
specially provided with at least one government 
soldier, who, obtained through a consulate on the 
coast, is responsible for the safety of his charge. 
In a fanatical place like the city of Morocco, or 
the city of Mequinez, the Christian is exposed in 
two ways to risk of open violence. He may be 
stabbed by a fanatic when off his guard, or, what 
is more probable, may get surrounded by a crowd, 
and a disturbance began by boys may end by his 
being spit upon, then buffeted and trampled on 
by men encouraging each other in their savage 
work. We had, by using great precaution, escaped 
these dangers. But such insidious destruction as 
had been prepared for us could not be easily 
guarded against, and must have been deliberately 
planned by the two men provided for us by Bu 
Bekr. One was a young fellow of obliging 
manners who lived in the house and acted as cook. 
The other was a man who did not live with us, 
but came, when his services were required, to make 
purchases and execute commissions. On these 
men suspicion naturally fell, and on our reporting 
the matter at the consulate, after our arrival 
in Safii, Mr. Hunot, the British vice-consul, 
promptly undertook to investigate it. The poison 



154 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOOES. 



administered must have either been put into the 
dish off which we dined, or it is possible that it 
was mixed in the argan oil at the time of pur- 
chase. 2 

My companion had met with singularly bad 

2 This investigation led to no results, although the evidence 
given by the Moorish soldier and servants, before the public 
adools, corroborated our statements. The affair was referred 
to the sultan, and it was demanded that the suspected persons 
should be sent to Saffi for examination, but without effect. 
One of the suspected persons was said, by the authorities at 
Morocco, to have absconded, and the other to be too unwell to 
be moved. In the correspondence which ensued between our 
minister plenipotentiary and the vice-consul, the latter was 
enjoined to be careful " that no arbitrary act of cruelty be 
committed by the authorities on vague suspicion upon any 
Moorish subject, Jew, or Mohammedan." This so far was right, 
but it was very unsatisfactory to those who barely escaped the 
worse consequences of a foul crime that it was not promptly 
and vigorously sifted. The matter, was some time afterwards 
inquired into on the spot by Sir J. D. Hay with no success. 
Different absurd explanations of our illness were offered, such 
as that it was caused by the corrosion of the copper cooking- 
vessels, but these vessels had been in constant use previously. 
Arsenic does not always destroy life, even when freely taken 
into the system. An account of the poisoning of sixteen persons 
by arsenic, used by mistake for baking-powder in making bread, 
was published lately in the British Medical Journal. All 
suffered severely ; in every case the poison acted as a strong 
cartbartic, and in the end all recovered. 

It may be well to caution future travellers against allowing 
their food to be prepared by Moors about whom they know 
nothing. I found, when too late, that European residents who 
know the country well, make it a rule not to partake of any 
dish cooked by a strange Moor unless he is seen to eat part of 
it himself. 



RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 155 

luck during his residence in Barbary. In the 
February previous, while making a country ex- 
cursion in the neighbourhood of Mogador, he was 
set upon by three ruffians, who first fired at him 
without effect, and then stabbed him so seriously 
that he escaped death almost by a miracle. He had 
alighted from his mule for the purpose of gathering 
flowers, and his soldier was some distance in the 
rear. The motive in this case was apparently the 
same as that which led to our being nearly 
poisoned. An unpopular governor had been re- 
cently appointed to the province in which the 
attack was made, and the intended assassination 
had been apparently undertaken for the purpose 
of obtaining the sultan's sanction to this man's 
dismissal. 

Thus it was that I was compelled to turn my 
back on the unexplored glorious Atlas range 
then in full view. The year before, Dr. Hooker, 
now the distinguished president of the Royal 
Society, accompanied by his friends, Messrs. 
Ball and Maw, made a successful ascent of one of 
the summits of this range, and valuable results of 
their explorations in botany and geology have 
been contributed to science. But Dr. Hooker 
travelled when the people of the country were 
comparatively tranquil. He was provided with a 
special guard, and an autograph letter of the 
sultan's, procured by our foreign minister, in 
which all governors and kaids were enjoined at 



156 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



their peril not only not to molest, but to afford 
every possible aid. These privileges I hoped to 
obtain from the sultan, with whom, as already 
stated, I looked forward to a personal interview 
in his southern capital. As the case stood with 
my companion and myself, we had the very doubt- 
ful advantage of seeing the Moors in all their 
savage turbulence ; and being almost entirely at 
their mercy, we regarded ourselves as very lucky 
in escaping with our lives. 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD . 

The investigation of the City of Morocco and its 
neighbourhood was in the strictest sense " the 
pursuit of knowledge under difficulties." Yet 
ceaseless perseverance effected much, and I saw a 
great deal of this semi-civilized place. 

Morocco is called by the Moors Marakech ; the 
derivation of this is unsettled, but it is supposed 
to have been taken from certain wells that in early 
ages existed on its site. In the vicinity are still 
traces of the ruins of a Roman town — Bocanum 
Hermerum. The modern City of Morocco has 
claims to antiquity. It was founded in the year 
454 of the Hegira, or 1072 of the Christian era. 
One Sid Youssef Ben Tachefin built a mosque, as 
also a citadel wherein to store his wealth; and 
his followers and many people of the surrounding 
country, seeking the protection of this citadel, 
raised houses around it. After the death of 
Youssef, his son Ali fortified the growing city and 
adorned it with other mosques and public build- 



158 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



ings. Its progress at that early period seems 
incredible. Before the death of Ali it is said to 
have contained 100,000 families. It was sur- 
rounded by a strong stone wall, and, thus pro- 
tected, the inhabitants nourished and soon excelled 
in the arts and sciences ; this so greatly as to 
lead the Moors of Spain, Algiers, and Tunis to 
send their children thither for instruction. The 
spoils of Andalucia flowed into the favoured city, 
and the addition of an active commerce with the 
interior of Africa soon raised it to a position of 
great wealth and corresponding luxury. The fall 
of the Moors in Spain was the first cause of its 
decline ; civil wars interrupted its commerce ; 
vast numbers of citizens emigrated therefrom ; 
till in the end was brought about that state of 
decay and partial ruin in which it has since re- 
mained. " This noble city," wrote Leo Africanus, 
"is accounted to be one of the greatest cities in 
the whole world." Relative to the space enclosed 
within its walls, it is still entitled to be called 
" great," but its grandeur and nobility have 
utterly vanished. 1 

1 In writing the following account of the city of Morocco, I 
have been indebted to M. Lambert, now of Tangier, for much 
information. He lived as a merchant in the city for five years, 
and adopting the Moorish dress and customs, speaking the 
language fluently, and mingling with all classes of the people, 
he acquired a more accurate knowledge of the whole subject 
than was possessed by any previous European. He sketched 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 159 



Nothing can be finer than the scenery which 
surrounds Morocco. Situated in an immense 
plain, it is flanked on the north, and for some 
distance towards the east and west, by a splendid 
wood of date-palms, to which the citizens con- 
stantly resort for the sake of enjoying the pleasant 
shade. It is bordered on the east by gardens, 
and beyond these the country is open to the foot 
of the Atlas mountains, portions of which grand 
chain reach a height of 10,000 feet. The lustre 
of the snow on their summits has a singularly fine 
effect against the deep blue back-ground of a 
cloudless sky. Viewed from a house-top it is a 
scene on which to dwell with pleasure, and one 

out a map, which is here reproduced, and, considering the 
difficulties of such an undertaking, it is wonderfully accurate. 
M. Lambert also wrote an account of the city, which was 
published in the Bulletin de la Societe de Geographic Of this 
I have freely availed myself. It may here be stated that 
another of the very few Europeans who have lived for any 
length of time in the interior of the country is Mr. Archibald 
Fairlie, C.E., now of Cannon Street, London. He was for some 
years in the service of the late emperor. Large mills for the 
manufacture of cane and beet-root sugar, machinery for clean- 
ing and pressing cotton, and other works, were erected in 
Morocco under Mr. Fairlie's superintendence, and, what is 
remarkable, entirely by native labour. 

Mr. Fairlie was regarded favourably by the late emperor, and 
with respect by all classes of the people. This was largely due 
to the fact, that he always upheld the dignity and good faith of 
an English gentleman in his dealings with the natives. All 
the improvements which Mr. Fairlie laboured so hard to intro- 
duce have long since vanished under the combined influence 
of ignorance and despotism. 



160 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



which for the time leads the spectator to forget 
the drawbacks to existence in such a place. 

The tract of country., in the midst of which the 
city stands, rises gently from the mountainous 
district in the west to the Atlas chain ; and from 
measurements made by myself with an accurate 
aneroid barometer, it lies about 1500 feet above 
the level of the sea. The city walls are thick, 
and average a height of twenty-three feet; and 
the area within is very extensive. Square turrets 
flank a portion of the walls, though many of them 
are in a ruinous state, and in parts there are none 
at all. 

That portion of the town lying north, forming 
a sort of peninsula, is surrounded by walls of a 
later date than the rest, and contains the sanc- 
tuary of Sidi Bel Abbes. These walls were raised, 
at the end of the last century, by order of Sidi 
Mohammed Ben Abd Allah. All of them are made 
of tabia; and in the entire circumvallation are 
seven gates, in addition to two others which lead 
direct into the Kasba or citadel. As seen from 
without, the city has a compact and strong 
appearance ; but it is needless, perhaps, to add 
that, in relation to advanced warfare, it may be 
regarded as quite unfortified. About two thirds 
of the space enclosed is taken up with gardens or 
covered with rubbish. The gates are placed in 
massive archways, within which are guard-houses. 
The streets leading direct from these gates are 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 161 

usually of good breadth, but in other parts of the 
town they are narrow and, particularly in the wet 
season, very filthy. The makers of gunpowder 
procure the materials for the manufacture of salt- 
petre from these street-sweepings, and the men 
employed in this work are the scavengers of the 
city. 

The houses of the superior classes are almost 
all built upon the same plan — that of a central 
court-yard surrounded by long narrow rooms. 
One of these serves for a kitchen, in which cook- 
ing is carried on by means of charcoal fires. 
The other rooms are used for reception and 
sleeping, and accommodate the ladies and chil- 
dren of the family. Near the entrance-door a 
narrow staircase leads to the first floor. This is 
called the doueria, and here it is that the master 
of the house receives his friends. Each house 
has a well which supplies water for the laun- 
dry and for ordinary use, but drinking-water 
is obtained from the public fountains. In 
some instances the horses of the owner divide 
with the ladies the occupation of the ground 
floor; in other words, one room is used as a 
stable. 

The narrowness of the apartments in the best 
houses of this country cannot fail to attract the 
attention of strangers. They are, generally speak- 
ing, of good height, but are very long in proportion 
to their breadth. This arises from the difficulty 

M 



162 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



experienced in obtaining native wood of sufficient 
length for the floors. The width of the rooms, in 
consequence, seldom exceeds ten or twelve feet. 
The importation of foreign timber has of late years 
caused these limits to be, in some cases, a good 
deal exceeded. The interiors are usually plastered, 
and adorned in various colours with arabesque 
designs and verses taken from the Koran. The 
lower stories of almost all the houses are made of 
tabia, which means mud. The nature of this mud 
varies in different districts. At Terodant, in the 
south, tabia walls are formed by earth and straw 
intermixed. But those of better quality consist 
of a mixture of one third each of lime, clay, and 
small pebbles mixed together with water and 
beaten down in a moveable mould, which is raised 
as the wall progresses. The upper story of many 
houses is constructed with bricks of good quality. 
The tower of the Katoubia is the only building of 
stone in the city, there being a great scarcity of 
this material in its vicinity. The best houses are 
situated in the quarters named respectively Zaouia- 
el-Hadhar, Sidi Abd-el-Azyz, Kat Ben Aid, and 
Biadh Zittoun. These quarters are more secure 
than others from attacks of thieves. A street 
which communicates between one quarter, Dhorb, 
and another, is bordered only by little shops, 
or merely by blank walls. As previously said, 
the exterior walls of houses are blank ; all 
windows being made to open on the interior 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 163 

courts. The Djemaa-el-Fna, of which we had 
such disagreeable experience, is the great assembly- 
place of the people. Here the jugglers, gymnasts, 
snake-charmers, and comedians perform in the 
evenings before crowds seated around in a circle ; 
and here it is also that the scum of the population 
constantly prowl; men ready for tumult and 
plunder on any pretext, and, should it further 
their ends, as ready to take life. 

The mosques are numerous, and some are 
spacious buildings. The pride of the city 
is that called El Koutoubia, or the mosque 
of the booksellers. The angles of its square 
minaret or tower correspond with the four car- 
dinal points of the compass. It is 220 feet in 
height, and being of the same dimensions at top 
as at bottom, it has an imposing effect. On the 
top there is a small turret or lantern, from which 
the name Sma-el-Fanar is derived. The tower 
consists of seven stories, and the ascent from one 
to the other is effected by inclined planes instead 
of stairs. It was built in a.d. 1197, during the 
palmy days of the Moors, by Guever, a Sevil- 
lian architect, who, about the same period, con- 
structed the Tower of Hassan at Rabat, and the 
Giralda at Seville, from the same designs, and 
by order of the Emirs Almohade, Yacoub, and 
Mansour. 

The mosque itself is a large building of brick, 
much out of repair. The interior, which is never 

m 2 



164 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



seen by Christian eyes, contains many marble 
pillars, said to have been brought from Spain. 
Beneath the floor there is a cistern as large as the 
building itself, which is used by the Moors for 
ablutions. 

Leo Africanus, in his description of this 
mosque, remarks, " The roof is most cunningly 
and artificially vaulted, and I have not seen 
many fairer temples;" and he adds, in relation 
to both mosque and city, " Albeit you shall 
hardly find any temple in the whole world greater 
than this, yet it is very meanly frequented ; for 
the people do never assemble there, only on 
Fridays. Under the porch of this temple, it is 
reported that in old time there were almost an 
hundred shops of sale books, and as many on the 
other side over against them; but at this time 
I think there is not one bookseller in all the 
whole city to be found." This account was 
written more than 300 years ago. Even then 
this once populous and enlightened city had 
fallen into great decay, and now little more than 
barbarism and misery prevail. 

Notwithstanding the present neglect of litera- 
ture, the science of astronomy is not altogether 
lost among the Moors. In February, 1868, when 
M. Beaumier visited Morocco, a partial eclipse of 
the sun was visible, and the savants, desiring to 
make some observations, were obliged on this 
occasion to use the tower of the mosque of Ben 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 165 

Youssef instead of that of the Kotoubia, the 
usual observatory. The reason for change was 
simply this. The harem of the sultan's brother, 
Muley Ali, was at that time in the neighbourhood, 
and it was feared the philosophers might be 
induced to direct their eyes and their thoughts 
downwards, in place of fixing them on their 
sublime task. 

The mosque of Ben Youssef is, as regards 
height, next to Kotoubia. El Mouezim and El 
Mansoury are also large buildings. One of the 
gates of El Mouezim is said to have been brought 
from Granada by Mansour, the fourth sovereign of 
Morocco ; an archway of stone, curiously wrought 
with arabesque sculptures, called Bab Aquenaou, 
is also said to have been brought piecemeal from 
Algesiras. 

There are twenty-one public baths distributed 
over the town and citadel. The method of bathing 
is identical with that of the Turkish bath ; but the 
buildings in which the processes are carried on 
are mean structures compared with those of the 
East. Men are admitted from sunrise to midday 
at a charge of a mouzouna, less than a halfpenny 
each, and women from midday to nightfall at two 
mouzounas each. 

There are three prisons. The largest, to which 
we have already referred, is formed by excavating 
the earth to the depth of about seven feet, and 
then raising an arched roof supported on pillars. 



166 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Daylight is scantily admitted through openings 
guarded by iron bars. It contains a reservoir of 
water and a mosque. All prisoners have irons 
riveted upon their legs, and some have an iron 
collar and chain attached to the neck. No food is 
provided by government ; the prisoners, generally 
speaking, being supported by relations or friends. 
In default of these they support themselves by 
making mats, baskets, and cushions, or else they 
live on alms. Those who are unable to work 
often die of hunger. 

Justice in Morocco, as often elsewhere, has a 
keen eye to business. Whenever an unhappy 
wretch is suffered to leave prison, he has to pay 
ten ounces — about tenpence English money — for 
the use of his irons. Another two ounces has to 
be paid to the thaleb, or scribe, who makes out the 
order for release ; and a present has also to be 
given to the Mekhazni, or policeman, who con- 
ducted him to prison, and who, on occasion of his 
deliverance, is sure to be at hand. 

But prior to the payment of these fees a 
preliminary and often most difficult arrangement 
must be made. A sum, arbitrarily fixed by the 
kaid, must be paid to him for the prisoner's release. 
The amount is always an extortionate one, being 
usually regulated by the means of the relatives 
or friends. After much negotiation and many 
appeals, an abatement is at last effected. It also 
sometimes happens that the kaid, after receiving 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 167 

the sum agreed upon, demands still more before 
the prisoner is released, or else, after release, he 
recommits him to prison until a further sum is 
extorted. 

The prison in the citadel is devoted to prisoners 
of state, such as rebellious or refractory governors 
of provinces. Its walls enclose an uncovered 
court around which are little cells, and in the 
centre is a subterranean chamber. Food is pro- 
vided by the authorities, but the prisoners are 
almost always supported by their friends. 

There is a jail in the quarter assigned to the 
Jews, and in which they are imprisoned when 
charged with ordinary misdemeanours. But when 
guilty of grave crimes they are relegated to 
the foulest and most unwholesome portion of 
the great city prison. Opposite to this stands 
the morstan, or madhouse. Lunatics reputed 
dangerous are fastened to the walls by means 
of a collar round the neck, and a very heavy 
chain. This chain is lengthened at night just 
sufficiently to allow the unhappy wretch to lie 
down on the bare ground, and the whole of the 
inmates are fed upon bread supplied out of the 
revenues of the mosques. The first floor of this 
institution is used as a jail for women. They do 
not wear fetters, but they are compelled, like the 
rest of the prisoners, to pay a sum of money 
before they are released. The women detained 
here are chiefly those of reputed bad lives, and all 



168 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



such as are arrested in the streets during the 
night. 

There are a great many markets for the sale of 
merchandise. One of these, Souk-el-Djedid, is 
devoted to imported woven fabrics, and the English 
visitor is half surprised by the sight of familiar 
marks and names. But the goods of Manchester 
find their way everywhere, and to few places in 
reality more out of the world than to this semi- 
savage city of Morocco. 

In the Souk-el- Atarin, sugar, tea, and drugs 
are sold. The Souk Smata is for the sale of 
shoes. The blacksmiths, carpenters, and butchers 
have each a street communicating one with the 
other. These correspond with the bazaars of the 
East, and are not inhabited at night except by 
the guards. The communicating gates are then 
closed. 

The wholesale merchants have their warehouses 
and offices in what is called a fondouk, or cara- 
vansary. The principal fondouk s are Rangia, 
Djedid, El Melah, Selem, Hadj-el-Arbi, and Sid 
Amara. 

Besides these fondouks there are a great 
number of others which are used as inns by 
strangers coming into the city with their donkeys 
and camels. These are filthy places in which 
accommodation is afforded at the charge of one 
mouzouna a day for each person, and two 
mouzounas for each beast. The master of the 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 



169 



establishment is responsible for the safety of the 
animals, but he does not supply them with food. 

A fondouk, if belonging to a merchant, is gene- 
rally on a large scale, the court-yard being sur- 
rounded by a number of rooms which are used for 
the storage of bulky articles. The rooms on the 
floor above, around which is a gallery, are devoted 
to more portable wares. In the case of fondouks 
used as inns, the court-yards serve to contain the 
animals, and the small rooms surrounding them 
shelter the owners and other visitors. 

There are two weekly markets, one held on 
Thursday, the other on Friday ; the former, 
known as Souk-el-Khemis, is the principal one. It 
is held partly within the town in the open space, 
Khemis Dakhalani, and partly outside the gate, 
Bab-el-Khemis. Camels, horses, mules, and asses 
are sold in it. On the sale of each animal a 
guarantee that it has not been stolen, verified 
by a notary, is required. The Friday market, 
held in the Djamaa-el-Fna, is for the sale of horned 
cattle. 

In the centre of the city, close to the market 
for spun materials, Souk-el Ghezel, is that for 
slaves. This, which is the principal market in the 
whole country for the sale of negroes, is held 
during the hour before sunset on Wednesdays, 
Thursdays, and Fridays. The slaves are brought 
direct here from Soudan and Sus. 

Near at hand is the grain and salt market, 



170 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



Rhahba. A toll of three ounces is taken here on 
each load which enters the market, and this pro- 
duces a considerable revenue. A toll is also 
charged at the gates on all country products, 
with the exception of corn, as they enter or leave 
the city. The charge is a direct tax of about 
fifteenpence for each load. Another tax, enkess, 
of about two-and-a-half per cent., is levied on all 
articles sold, even when such are of local manu- 
facture, and it is laid also upon all goods sold by 
auction. These various taxes are annually farmed 
out to the highest bidder. The monopoly for the 
sale, in the city, of tobacco and kief, gives a return 
to the Government of about 100,000 ducats 
annually, or 6000/. 

Morocco is not a manufacturing city like Fez 
or Rabat, and such textile fabrics as it produces 
are of inferior quality. The only manufacture 
in which it excels is that of leather; and the 
colours produced in this material are chiefly red 
and yellow. 

There are within the city a great number of 
horse-mills for grinding corn ; and without, near 
the Bab Hob, about a dozen small water-mills ; 
but the poor grind their corn at home in small 
hand-mills. The millstones are obtained in the 
neighbourhood. Meal is sifted in small sieves 
by women ; these articles being made by Jews. 
Bread is sold in flat cakes in the open streets. 
It is of good quality, but much impregnated with 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 



171 



grit owing to the soft material of which the mill- 
stones are composed. 

The palace enclosure of the sultan faces the 
south and the Atlas mountains. It is outside the 
city, but is surrounded by equally high walls. 
It covers a space of about 1500 yards long by 
600 wide ; and this is divided into gardens, at- 
tached to which are pavilions. There are two 
large courts, mchouar, or places of audience, 
around which are arranged apartments for the 
ministers, secretaries and guards. The Treasury, 
containing, it is said, a large amount of specie, 
adjoins the house inhabited by the sultan when- 
ever he visits his capital city. The floor of these 
palace rooms are paved with various coloured 
tiles ; but, with the exception of mats, carpets, 
and cushions, they contain no furniture. 

There is only one charitable institution in the 
city ; it stands at the northern extremity, and is 
know as the Zaouia or sanctuary of Sidi Bel 
Abbes. Here destitute persons receive alms and 
find an asylum for the night. It is also a place 
of inviolable refuge for criminals, and those who 
seek its protection take care not to leave till 
pardon has been secured. There are, however, 
occasions when little faith is placed in the pro- 
mised clemency ; and then it is the custom for 
those seeking it to go forth wrapped in some 
drapery from the tomb of the saint, and accom- 
panied by the head of the sanctuary. The pre- 



172 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



sence of the sultan or governor is then sought, 
and pardon is often obtained. 

In Morocco there is no law of mortmain; on 
the contrary, everything is done to encourage the 
growth of ecclesiastical property, and thus the 
mosques and holy places are very richly endowed. 
Bequests are frequently made by piously disposed 
Mussulmans ; and these, which are called habous, 
can never be alienated. Of these, one third only 
of the net rental, or sum accruing, is devoted to 
use ; the other two thirds being employed in ex- 
tending the capital by the purchase of houses 
and lands. In this way, and by accessories from 
other sources, ecclesiastical property is constantly 
and greatly increasing. The value of the habous, 
appertaining to the sanctuary of Sidi Bel Abbes, 
is estimated at 200,000/. in value. 

The city of Morocco has an abundant supply of 
water. To this is due the verdure of the gar- 
dens, and the fine quality of fruits and vegetables. 
It is conveyed into the city by means of aque- 
ducts leading from the hills, Misfeewa and Muley 
Brahim. 

The fountains are numerous, and these, as well 
as the reservoirs and aqueducts, being the work of 
former ages, are for the most part in bad repair 
if not in ruins. One reservoir, El Mouezim, 
has been recently well restored. Close to our 
house was a handsome fountain decorated with 
a Moorish arch, and finely carved in old ara- 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 173 

besque ornament. The name of this fountain 
was Shrub-ou-Shoof, which means " Behold and 
drink." It bears the architect's name, "Mamun." 
'To this is added, " God be praised that I was able 
to finish this work." This directness and sim- 
plicity of expression has always characterized the 
Semitic races, and the style and taste of the de- 
coration are in this case quite in keeping. 

The Jews' quarter is in the southern part of the 
city. Enclosed by high walls, it is about a mile 
and a half in circuit, and is bounded on the south 
and west by the kasba, or citadel. It is called 
El Melah, the salted place, in allusion to the 
utility of the Jews, and often in derision El Mes~ 
sous, the place without salt, by which term their 
worthlessness is implied. The gates are guarded 
by Moors appointed by the kaid. It is built of 
tabia, like the rest of the city ; and although this 
is a lasting material, when treated with care, it 
soon, from neglect, becomes ruinous : many dilapi- 
dated houses and tumble-down walls exist in this 
as in the Moorish quarters. 

Here and there, a large cubic mass of earth, 
as it seems from the street, pierced by a single 
aperture for the door, denoted the house of 
an affluent owner. But these houses are excep- 
tional, — I speak from experience, having entered 
a number of dwellings in various quarters, and 
especially in poor neighbourhoods. Just then the 
rainy season had commenced. Already fetid pools 



174 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOORS. 



formed by water in which decayed vegetables 
and still greater abominations were soaked, were 
to seen before almost every door that opened 
to the streets, or else into the little courts, around 
which the houses are, in some cases, grouped. 
Under such conditions it is marvellous how people 
exist. The fact that the vital processes are main- 
tained almost shook, at the time, one's faith in the 
necessity of enforcing sanitary laws. But the 
mortality must be prodigious, though there are 
no registrar- general's reports on death-rates to 
reveal the fact. What wonder that these poor 
people are pallid and worn, that numbers of them 
are constantly sick with intermittent fevers, that 
to meet any free from ophthalmia is the exception ; 
and from this cause, the proportion of blind 
people among the general population is very 
great. The houses are wretched tenements, con- 
sisting usually of a couple of small rooms with 
low ceilings. Few of these have windows, though, 
during the day, the open door affords light and 
air. But, as the occupants have no idea of the 
necessity of ventilation, the atmosphere of the 
rooms must be stifling when the doors are closed 
at night. In addition to this evil, all that is objec- 
tionable, as regards decency and order in our own 
over-crowded dwellings, must necessarily prevail. 
Yet, in justice to these poor Israelites, it must 
be added that the rooms were, in general, clean. 
The walls were limewashed, and the matted floors, 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 175 

unencumbered by furniture, had a neat appear- 
ance. 

The population of the Jewish quarter is indus- 
trious and painstaking. Here, as in other places, 
they devote themselves more to sedentary occu- 
pations, such as that of the silversmith, engraver, 
shoemaker, or tailor, than to laborious out-door 
trades. Jewish butchers are, however, numerous, 
and it speaks well for the practical value of a 
certain portion of ceremonial usages that the 
Moors deal with them in preference to butchers 
of their own persuasion, because of the care 
taken by Jews in the selection of animals for 
food. 

As might be expected, this isolated community 
is superstitious and credulous in a high degree. 
They put full faith in charms and amulets, and in 
order to control destiny, practise many things 
repugnant to our ideas. Some of the means re- 
sorted to for the cure of disease are especially of 
this kind. 

The belief of these Jews in the "evil eye" is 
very steadfast. They assure you that far more 
deaths take place from this than from natural 
causes. The sign of one harmless piece of super- 
stition may be observed in almost every house. 
The city of Morocco is greatly infested by scor- 
pions. In order to keep such venomous intruders 
out of the houses, a paper on which is drawn the 
rude picture of one or two scorpions is stuck on 



176 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



the door-post of every house. Above this, in 
Hebrew characters, is an array of mystical words 
arranged on the principal of the ancient abraca- 
dabra. Below it is written a solemn imprecation. 
The rabbi who prepares this precious document 
must, in order to make it effective, rightly observe 
certain circumstances. It must be written only 
on the first night of Sivan, near Pentecost, and 
previous to his labours he must immerse himself 
three times in a bath, as also cut his nails. When 
finished, it is as follows, except that the mystical 
part is given in English instead of Hebrew cha- 
racters : — 



Epicoros 




Apretata 


Picoros 




Pretata 


Icoros 




Retata 


Coros 


mux*) 


Etata 


Oros 


mui£j 


Tata 


Ros 


T3TUl£irj 


Ata 


Os 


muiSijg 


Ta 


S 


'BiuiS^qy 


A 



The translation of the inscription below these 
cabalistic letters reads thus : — 

" scorpion, daughter of a scorpion, be thou 
accursed by the strength of every power that 
exists. From the mouth of the Prophet Joshua, 
the son of Nun; from the mouth of the High 
Priest Judah Bar Eli ; and also from the mouth 




Fac-simile of a Cabalistic charm against Scorpions. 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 177 

of the High Priest Judah Bar Ezekiel; so that 
you may not pass the threshold of this door, nor 
hurt any Israelite or son of an Israelite, now 
and for evermore. This is by command of the 
High Priest. Simon Bar Yuli. Amen." " They 
shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy moun- 
tain : for the earth shall be full of the know- 
ledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the 
sea." 2 

A Jew told me that a short time previously he 
was an eye-witness to the efficacy of this impre- 
cation. A large scorpion ran to the door of a 
room, and then stopped suddenly, as if stupefied ; 
it was, in fact, a case of no admittance. Several 
members of his family were summoned, and all 
agreed in the truth of the prodigy. 

The Jews are known to have much money and 
other valuables in their possession. On this ac- 
count, in a country like Morocco, where banks 
and places of deposit for security are unknown, 

2 The fac-simile of this document is here presented. The 
original was written on coarse note-paper ; Mr. Davis, editor 
of the Jewish World newspaper, kindly furnished the transla- 
tion given, and added as follows: — "The Hebrew inscription 
beneath the scorpions, we have, in spite of difficulties, fairly 
translated. The document is written in a curious style, and 
is unintelligible to any ordinary reader of Hebrew. But it 
affords a very interesting specimen of a common order of 
superstition prevalent among the Jews in Morocco. The 
cabalistic letters may be supposed to have power against 
the insects, somewhat after the manner of the imprecations 
levelled against the * Jackdaw of Rheim*.' " 

N 



178 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



much uneasiness, in times of public disturbance , 
is inevitable. 

This was the case at the period of our visit. 
Tor although it was stated that 500 men 
were nightly employed by the kaid in the pro- 
tection of the Jewish quarter, depredations had 
already commenced, and the uppermost thought in 
every Jew's mind was this — " What if our guards 
betray us ?" " quis custodiet ipsos custodes? " Nor 
was it pleasant to find, in this depressing state of 
public affairs, a strong feeling of distrust and 
jealousy among the Jews themselves. Their mis- 
fortunes, it might be thought, would have been a 
bond of union ; yet, here as elsewhere, there were 
cliques and parties who talked of each other with 
bitterness. Thus, many of the Jews attributed 
the suspension of certain privileges granted by 
the sultan at the intercession of Sir Moses Monte- 
fiore to the action of an influential member of their 
own community who, they alleged, was, for sub- 
stantial reasons, devoted to the interests of the 
Moorish government. They even went so far as 
to say that certain communications from England, 
intended for the sultan, and sent through the 
quarter in question, had never been forwarded. 
But it seemed to me then, as it does still, that all 
this was unfounded suspicion, and, more likely than 
not, to be due to the erroneous impressions of 
a suffering and politically degraded people trying 
to fix blame somewhere. As for the late sultan, 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 179 

although in the European sense a tyrant, and even 
cruel, he was not regarded as such by his own 
countrymen ; but, on the contrary, they looked 
upon him as comparatively a mild ruler. He 
appears also to have been a just man, with every 
disposition to keep faith and observe engagements. 
But, as is too often the case with so-called abso- 
lute rulers, he was not master of his own actions ; 
for public opinion, guided by a fanatical religion, 
cannot be disregarded. He was said to have been 
disposed to gradually increase the liberties of the 
Jews instead of curtailing them. For, according 
to an Arab proverb, as my informant added, " If 
you want to cook a camel you must first cut it 
in pieces." 

The disqualifications and indignities to which 
the Jews are subjected in the city of Morocco, so 
far as they came under my own observation, were 
as follows : — 1. They are never allowed to wear the 
turban. 2. In the presence of a governor, or 
when passing a mosque, Jews are obliged to 
remove the blue handkerchief with which the head 
is at other times bound. 3. They must wear 
black instead of the yellow shoes always worn by 
the Moors. 4. When they go from their own 
quarter into the Moorish town, both men and 
women are compelled to take off their shoes and 
walk barefooted; and this degradation appeared 
especially painful when one had occasion to walk 
with a Jewish friend through the filthy streets of 

n 2 



180 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOOES. 



the Moorish quarters. 5. A Jew meeting a Moor 
must always pass to the left. 6. Jews are not 
allowed to ride through the city. 7. They are 
not permitted to carry arms. 8. In the exercise 
of their religion they are restricted to private 
houses ; hence there are no public buildings used 
as synagogues. This restriction applies equally 
to other parts of the empire, except Tangier. 

No doubt there are other more or less annoying 
interferences with personal liberty which do not 
meet the eye. But the list given is enough to 
show that the grievances of the Jewish community 
are far from being merely sentimental. They live 
under the yoke of an iron despotism, and, as 
might be expected, betray this in their manner 
and appearance. The men are in general of 
medium height, but slender, long visaged, and 
sallow. It is sad to see them walk with bowed 
heads and slow steps through the streets of their 
mother city ; — rather, indeed, a hard step-mother, 
who, while acknowledging their right to a harsh 
protection, subjects them to the taunts and ill- 
treatment of her more favoured progeny. Even 
the horse-play and practical jokes of the Moors 
are highly inconvenient to the Jews. Here is one 
instance. In some seasons the gardens in and 
about the city are so productive that oranges are 
absolutely of no value except it be for pelting 
the Jews. It is indeed regarded as a seasonable 
sport, like that of snowballs in England, for which 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 



181 



oranges are no bad substitute. Woe to the un- 
happy Israelite who is seen in the street, or on a 
housetop, during this saturnalia of the Moorish 
youth. Assailed by shouts and jeers, he is, unless 
saved by hasty flight, ridiculously besmeared ; and, 
from the violence of the blows, he also runs the 
risk of receiving more serious injury. On this 
account the authorities have, of late, made efforts 
to suppress this curiously literal kind of " Orange 
riots." 

Morocco, as regards Africa, is a cosmopolitan 
city. Its inhabitants include Moors, Algerians, 
Tunisians, Egyptians, natives of the Sahara, 
negroes from Soudan, and occasionally negroes 
from Senegal are met with. Three languages 
are commonly spoken : Arabic, which is most 
general; Shluh, the language of the inhabitants 
of the Atlas and of the south ; and Guennaoui, the 
speech of the negroes. 

Without the aid of anything in the shape of a 
census it is extremely difficult to arrive at safe 
conclusions in relation to the number of inhabi- 
tants of a city spread unequally over a large space. 
The custom of shutting women up adds to the 
difficulty. Even the Moors themselves have very 
hazy notions on this subject. One of the citizens 
gravely assured me that the city contained some 
millions of people. But, so far as an estimate can 
be made, the following data, carefully put together 
by M. Lambert, is, without doubt, close to the 



182 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



truth. He has grouped, as follows, the people 
according to their occupations. 

Mussulmans — Landed proprietors and 



agriculturists 


1,200 


Ulemas and Adools . 


150 


Thalebs and students 


800 


Wholesale merchants 


100 


Traders (woven goods and 




groceries 


500 


, , (haiks and carpets) 


300 


Shopkeepers (oil, wood, 




charcoal, pottery) . 


1,000 


Manufacturers (haiks and 




carpets, &c.) 


800 


Carpenters, smiths, and 




sellers of old iron . 


350 


Makers and sellers of ropes 


250 


Tanners, shoemakers, and 




cobblers 


1,500 


ivjLciboiis, laoouiers, ano. poi- 




ters . . . 


2,500 


Millers and bakers 


600 


Government employes 


400 


Negroes belonging to the 




Government . 


2,000 


Soldiers, bokhary, and 




others .... 


2,000 




14,450 



THE CUT AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 



183 



Brought forward 



14,4£0 



Mekhazny, soldiers in the 
service of the kaid, of 
the mohtasseb, of the 
kadies and others 



500 



Paupers, beggars, and vaga- 
bonds . 



1,500 



16,450 



By adding to this total of 16,450 males an equal 
number of females, as also an equal number of 
children of both sexes, together with 6000 Jews of 
both sexes and all ages, the result gives the sum 
total of over 55,000 souls as constituting the 
population of the city of Morocco. 

Although many of the Moors have a plurality of 
wives, beside female slaves as concubines, at least 
half of the males above specified have only one 
wife, or else are unmarried. 

The town is governed by the kaid and a num- 
ber of subordinates ; namely, the khalifa, or vice- 
governor, the moul-el-dhoour, or chief of the 
night guards, the mohtasseb, or chief of the day 
guards and administrator of the markets, two 
kadies, or judges and officers of public worship, 
and the nadher, or manager of the property of 
the mosques and of the city. In addition, every 
branch of industry and trade has its amin, or 
head man ; and each quarter of the town has its 



184 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



mok-kadem and its special nadher. This com- 
plicated system of government is well calculated 
to foster the systematic corruption which prevails 
in all places of trust. Yet, it must be stated, 
that in certain rare instances men in power gain 
for themselves a character for honour and honesty 
of purpose. 

As might be expected in the case of such wild 
and undisciplined hordes as inhabit the city of 
Morocco, crime is rampant. Murders are of very 
frequent occurrence ; and although the lex talionis 
is a leading doctrine of the Mohammedan religion, 
Moorish avarice almost always overrides revenge ; 
and the friends of a murdered man are induced for 
the sake of a sum of money to settle the affair. 

One phase of European civilization has its coun- 
terpart in this city. Like their London brethren, 
the Morocco thieves devote themselves to special 
branches of their art. One class is addicted to 
stealing clothes from baths. Others take the 
slippers deposited in the porches of the mosques. 
Many follow the pursuit of stealing fruit from 
gardens. Others are pickpockets, who ingeniously 
cut holes in the hood of the jelabeer, which, when 
thrown back, is used as a pocket ; or else they cut 
the string by which the scarrah or leather bag is 
suspended to the body. Many steal horses, mules, 
and camels, &c, not a few are professed burglars. 
All robbers are known more or less to his mok- 
kadem, who turns this knowledge to account. 



THE CITY AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 185 



Whenever a robbery of importance takes place, 
the kaid sends for this functionary and informs 
him that a perquisition of the quarter will be at 
once made unless the offender be immediately 
named. It was stated that the golden age of 
thieves, which had lasted five years, had just ter- 
minated with the deposition of the kaid, Ben 
Daoud. 



CHAPTER X. 



MOEOCOO TO SAFFI. 

We left Morocco on October 10th, being only too 
glad to shake its dust from our feet and turn our 
faces towards Sam and the coast. Yet the palm 
groves outside the city, having been refreshed by 
the late rains, looked more than usually alluring 
and beautiful. 

We rode as far as the Tensift without a halt, 
and breakfasted under the fine shade of some noble 
date-trees. Here, at this season, the river was 
contracted to a shallow stream, though its sands 
were a quarter of a mile in width. There was the 
usual fringe of verdure, and many kinds of beauti- 
ful little birds were disporting among the shrubs. 
We observed some rooks perched on the palm tops, 
but they looked singularly out of place, and, judg- 
ing by their attitudes, it was with difficulty they 
kept their footing on the broad leaves. 

"Resuming our journey, we entered upon a 
country made rough by rocks of quartz and slate, 
which in some places were arranged in perpendi- 



MOKOOCO TO SAFF1. 



187 



cular strata. About eighteen miles from the city 
we reached the base of a hill which rose from 
the level rather abruptly, and here the plain of 
Morocco ended. At the top of this hill, and at 
an elevation of 1350 feet above the sea, we took 
our last view of the city, the tower of the Katoubia 
bearing south by ten degrees east. 

Our way now lay over stony and arid hills, and 
it soon turned towards the north. Timbarkate 
signalized himself by dismounting and shooting a 
venomous snake which lay basking in the sun. A 
great uproar as usual followed, and numberless 
maledictions and expressions of disgust were 
wasted upon the dead reptile. 

About four p.m. we reached the inzella of 
Emsra belonging to the Woled Eliria, Kabila ; and 
as the place was well wooded we strolled a little 
way with our guns, attended by the old sheik of 
the place. We saw several desert partridges, yet 
did not get within shot ; but one I made at a hare 
won the admiration of the patriarch. Indeed his 
delight was unbounded, for he showed by panto- 
mime, repeated over and over again, how the gun 
was raised and the hare turned head over heels 
while running at full speed. All the villagers 
were told of the exploit, and I was the hero of the 
evening. The extra civility of this sheik was due, 
probably, to the fact that when leaving Morocco 
El Geroui had sent us a letter for delivery to him. 
We had not asked for such a favour, but the crafty 



188 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



ruler was only too happy to do anything which 
was likely to expedite our departure. 

This inzella was only formed by a fence made of 
cut sidra shrubs, so piled one upon another as to 
form an impenetrable hedge. I was more than 
usually troubled here by applicants for medical 
advice; probably it was supposed that being so 
good a shot, I must be a particularly good doctor. 

Oct, 11. — We were early in the saddle, and soon 
after setting out saw in the breaking light a fox, 
a jackal, and some ravens. A great part of the 
journey was over a good but monotonous road, 
with but little surrounding vegetation, except the 
sidra tree. We passed the saint-house of Sidi 
Hamet Ben Brahim; and after that we had a 
long ride under a strong sun, made less endurable 
by want of water. Our midday halt was most 
uncomfortable from the same cause, and also from 
want of shade, and it was long before water could 
be obtained from a distance. Except for some 
corn-fields seen towards the close of the day, the 
country passed through was barren. The distance 
travelled was about thirty-five miles. 

It was three o'clock in the afternoon when we 
arrived at our halting-place, the residence of the 
Governor of Bled Ahmar, to whom we had a 
letter from Bu Bekr. This residence was a huge 
building, which realized to the mind one of those 
fictitious castles so dear to the imagination of 
childhood, where giants once dwelt and innocent 



MOEOCCO TO SAFFI. 



189 



victims were confined, and which good and true 
knights, clad in the brightest mail, attacked and 
entered. Its grey tabia walls and crumbling cas- 
tellated turrets gave it a dismal and forbidding 
aspect. Entering by the guarded gateway, we 
passed into a large courtyard where were slaves 
and soldiers, cattle and horses. The quarters 
assigned to us consisted of an isolated open 
square, around which were apartments of the 
usual kind, long and narrow, and with no other 
furniture than matting on the floor. Yet even 
this approach to comfort was most welcome, for 
we were fatigued, and not as yet recovered from 
our illness. 

The governor himself was reported to be 
unwell, and almost as soon as we arrived his 
brother came to inquire if I would undertake to 
cure him. I replied, " That so far as I could 
judge from his brother's report, he was suffering 
from intermittent fever. I would willingly do my 
best for him, and should probably succeed." This 
message was conveyed to him, and was, without 
doubt, considered unsatisfactory, for I heard 
nothing further of him. 

His brother showed great interest in my photo- 
graphic apparatus. His surprise at seeing objects 
turned upside down when he looked through the 
camera was great. But explanation would have 
been fruitless. No doubt the whole process was 
attributed to the contrivance of the devil, with 



190 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



whom all Christians are supposed to be in close 
alliance, indeed it being only through Satanic 
aid that the latter attain power to do so many 
things unknown to the true believer. 

A great mess of kuskussoo and mutton was sent 
us for dinner in the usual wooden vessel. It was 
so greasy and rancid that we did it little justice ; 
but our Moors did not fail in this respect, and it 
disappeared with marvellous rapidity. Indeed 
nothing we received from the governor's stores 
was at all good, except some tea ; and this was 
excellent. A piece of candle was given to us 
for light, and more was refused. I contrived, 
however, to bribe one of the slaves with some gun- 
powder, with the result that he produced an 
ordinary composition candle. In short, my ideas 
of our reception by a governor received a rude 
shock. I had expected something approaching 
luxury, whereas our lodging and living were only 
shelter and the plainest food. Into the penetralia 
of the palace I had no excuse to enter, for I had 
not guaranteed to cure its owner. Some pretext 
of this sort was needed, as without it it was not 
permitted to show the Frank that inner sanctuary, 
where reigned supreme four legitimate wives and 
numerous frail beauties. 

During and after dinner, we were besieged by 
a staring crowd of Moors and slaves, who were 
anxious to witness and know all about our move- 
ments. One fine young black from Timbuctoo 



MOROCCO TO SAFFI. 



191 



made private overtures to tlie effect that lie would 
like to run away from his master and follow my 
fortunes. The worst part of this interview was 
the doctoring. Black and white alike had some 
complaint, a description of which I was expected 
patiently to listen to, and then cure, as the 
Americans say, "right away." At length, when 
wearied out, and needing to go to rest, we had 
the greatest difficulty in clearing our room. 
Medical reputation of this kind is highly incon- 
venient, and the practice it brings is not re- 
munerative. 

We were provided next morning with a dainty 
for breakfast, which we failed to appreciate. This 
was old unsalted butter. We did not even taste 
it, for the smell was enough. The men, how- 
ever, did not copy our abstinence, but ate 
voraciously and pronounced it to be of rare 
quality. Butter in Morocco is estimated according 
to age, as wine is by ourselves, and this in question 
was, we were assured, a year old. 

While making an examination of the castle so 
far as was possible, I came upon a sad spectacle. 
In the courtyard, near the entrance to our quarters, 
was an opening in the ground. It was the size of 
an ordinary skylight, and, strongly secured by 
bars, was further protected by a low wall. The 
place was in fact an underground prison, and the 
barred opening the only entrance for light and 
air ; for the door was like that of a burial vault. 



192 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Having an opportunity, I descended and examined 
this prison. It was simply an excavation without 
masonry, the size of a large room. In order to 
prevent escape therefrom, and to avoid the 
necessity of arching the top, the chamber had 
been sunk low in the earth, and the superin- 
cumbent mass above left proportionately thick. 
It would be impossible to imagine a more gloomy 
or depressing dungeon than this grave for living 
men. There was just light enough to show the 
horrors of the place, while the earthy smell made 
its resemblance to a tomb complete. 

At this time the prison was almost empty. 
One fine-looking fellow, heavily manacled and 
secured by an iron neck collar to which a strong 
chain was attached, lay on the floor. Three or 
four lesser culprits heavily ironed were in the 
courtyard. But this was an indulgence only 
allowed during the day, for at night they were 
sent below to share in the grave-like prison. . 

We tried, but failed, to learn the nature of the 
crimes these men had committed. But this much 
was certain, that trifling offences are made a 
ready pretext for arresting any one suspected of 
possessing money and therefore capable of paying 
for release. But the Moor's endurance is as great 
as his avarice, and he suffers long before he parts 
with his hoarded wealth. 

Among other qualifications which I got credit 
for was the repair of musical instruments. A 



MOROCCO TO SAFFI. 



193 



musical box was brought to me to be mended, but 
I respectfully declined the job. 

Game abounds in this neighbourhood. The 
governor had a brace of handsome greyhounds, 
and some of his retinue brought them out for us 
to course with. But the time at our disposal 
was too short to do more than start a hare', 
which was not killed. We also flushed a large 
covey of desert partridges, as well as many red- 
legged partridges, and several birds apparently of 
the plover kind, their wings being tipped with black. 

We left the castle soon after midday, and, pass- 
ing through a fertile plain, soon beheld a strange 
sight ; what appeared to be a wide expanse of snow 
beneath a glaring and burning sun. This snow- 
like material was indeed a product of the sun, for 
it was a lake filled with salt. In winter it was a 
shallow lake of brine, which the rapid evaporative 
powers of summer converted into a solid mass. I 
rode some way out upon it, the mule's feet sinking 
as if in so much snow. Far out a number of 
men were employed in loading camels with the 
salt. This is a valuable article of commerce, for 
the product of these brine lakes, there being others 
in the country, is conveyed by caravans into 
Central Africa as far as Timbuctoo. I made the 
elevation of this lake 1250 feet above the sea 
level. 

From this place the road is level and good for 
some distance. About ten miles from the salt 

o 



194 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



lake we crossed a range of hills, running north 
and south, and soon afterwards descended into a 
narrow defile about three miles and a half in 
length ; its width and the elevation of the hill on 
either side being very uniform. The sun was 
setting, and the pass having a bad repute as the 
lurking-place of thieves, we hurried through, so 
as to be clear of it before darkness set in. After 
a journey of about twenty-one miles we stopped 
at an inzella, where, somewhat to our surprise, 
considering our previous experience, we were 
received with a spirit of genuine hospitality. The 
sheik supplied us with fowls, eggs, and other 
things, and positively refused remuneration. It 
was a glorious moonlight night, and we dined in the 
open air. The cool breeze and subdued light, after 
the heat and glare of the day, were most refreshing. 

We left early next morning, and soon passed 
on the left another governor's house. After this 
we crossed some barren hills, and then descended 
to a table-land possessing deep soil of a rich 
chocolate colour. Much of it was cultivated, and 
over a portion the caraway plant flourished. 
Then the signs of cultivation disappeared, and 
the palmetto-tree varied a landscape which soon 
became rugged and rocky. At last the town of 
Saffi was discovered nestling under steep hills, 
and washed by the blue sea. Our day's journey 
had been about thirty-three miles, and we entered 
Saffi early in the afternoon. 



CHAPTER XL 



SAFFI. 

We were hospitably received by Mr. Hunot, the 
British Vice-Consul, and stayed some days at his 
house. Here we dismissed all our Moors, retaining 
only Leo. Subsequently, on my return north 
from Mogador, I again stayed a couple of days 
in the town, and, on this occasion, was indebted 
for the same kindness to Mr. Murdoch, the prin- 
cipal merchant of the port. In a place where 
there are no hotels, such attention from our 
countrymen is as valuable as it is well appre- 
ciated. It will thus be convenient to group 
together the events of both visits. 

Saffi, or Azaphi, as spelt by Leo Africanus, was 
founded by the Carthagenians, and is, therefore, 
a town of very great antiquity. It may be re- 
garded as the capital of the province of Abda; 
it is surrounded by a high wall, and is placed 
between two hills. It was captured by the Portu- 
guese in 1508, but abandoned by them in 1641. 
Extensive ruins of the castles and fortified places 

o 2 



196 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



still remain. The population is about 8000, of 
whom a considerable number are Jews. The 
sanitary condition of the place is very low; yet 
it is not so unhealthy as might be expected. 
Placed under high hills, the summer heat is very 
great; and in this respect Sam contrasts unfa- 
vourably with Mogadon situated two days' easy 
journey to the south. Another small town, called 
Rabat, lies close beside it, not more than five 
hundred yards to the south. Rabat is, in fact, a 
famous sanctuary presided over by its own gover- 
nor, the privileges of the place extending on the 
one hand to the walls of Saffi, and on the other 
half a mile on the road towards Mogador. Here 
fraudulent debtors, highwaymen, and assassins 
live, for a time at least, without fear of arrest, 
under the eyes of the persons they have injured, 
and beyond the power of the law. To this subject 
of sanctuaries and their privileges we shall again 
refer. 

Being one of the holy cities of Morocco, pilgrim* 
ages are made to the shrines of Saffi. It has 
many saint-houses, and the usual accompaniment 
of lazy priests who live on the bounty of the 
devout. One saint-house situated on the side 
of a hill, just outside the town, is held in parti- 
cular veneration. It is called the House of the 
Seven Brothers, or Woled Ben Jinnero, that is 
"the sons of the son of Jinnero." All seven died 
on the same day, and were canonized in a bunch. 



SAFFI. 



197 



But the remarkable thing is, that it is yet an 
unsettled question whether they were Moors or 
Jews; for they are claimed as co-religionists by 
both sects, who alike venerate them. Thousands of 
persons flock annually from distant parts to receive 
the benefits which are supposed to emanate from 
the seven holy graves ; among which, cure of affec- 
tions of the eye are judged to stand pre-eminent. 

The sultan's palace — a large dilapidated pile, 
overlooks the town, it contains some fine rooms 
with lofty and richly-ornamented ceilings. The 
part most important, and constructed of stone, is 
Portuguese work ; and over the principal entrance 
heraldic devices are still visible. 

On one of the terraces a few brass guns bearing 
the British arms were mounted, and on another 
were some of iron of moderate caliber, but honey- 
combed and rusted to the last degree. Some few 
artillerymen occupied the place, and that of my 
visit was one of their fete-days. The guns were ot 
course fired, and the old walls shook with the 
sound ; but neither walls fell nor guns burst, as 
might, from the condition of both, have been anti- 
cipated. The gunners afterwards entertained me 
at a midday tea party. In a ruinous part of the 
building I saw, to my surprise and to my convic- 
tion that there is nothing new under the sun, a 
small cannon on the breech-loading principle, but 
it was utterly corroded and spoiled. This piece 
had evidently, centuries before, been left here by 



198 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



the Portuguese, and proved that the germ of the 
Armstrong masterpiece was in existence at that 
early date. 

In this palace I examined with interest a small 
but compact suite of rooms, once belonging to a 
sultana of our own race. Though much out of 
repair, enough remained to show that they had 
been built and finished with care. 

An Irish sergeant of sappers and miners was, by 
request, sent with some others from the garrison 
of Gibraltar into the service of the Sultan Sidi 
Mohammed. The man died soon after, and the 
widow, wishing to be sent home, sought an audi- 
ence with the sultan. It was granted, but with 
the result, that his majesty, being smitten with the 
woman's charms, made her " an offer," which, not- 
withstanding all drawbacks of race, religion, and 
country, was accepted. The renegade Irish- 
woman became the favourite of the harem, and in 
due time a son was born in this palace at Saffi. 
He was named Muley Yezid, though afterwards 
better known by the sobriquet of Elhayer Hamara, 
or red beard, a characteristic derived from his 
mother's race. Ultimately he became sultan, and 
in that capacity was the most sanguinary monarch 
known in the annals of Morocco. Our interpre- 
ter's great uncle held a post of importance under 
the government, but did not conduct its affairs 
according to Yezid' s views, and the poor Jew was 
burned alive. This is but a single instance of his 



SAFFI. 



199 



ferocity. He was in the habit of saying that the 
empire would never be governed well till blood 
flowed in a stream between the gate of his palace 
and that of the city. The savage acts of this 
Moroqnin Nero were at times characterized by a 
jocoseness as singular as it was sanguinary. He 
would order the decapitation of a couple of his 
domestics, and then play at bowls with their heads. 
On occasions he would feast all the poor of a dis- 
trict at the expense of some rich bashaw. He was 
blessed and . cursed by turns on account of his in- 
consistencies, which were characteristic of mad- 
man, fool, and despot. Yet in one thing Yezid 
was consistent; he was the steady friend of the 
English, to the exclusion of all other nationalities. 

At length his unceasing barbarities excited a civil 
war, and Yezid was mortally wounded by a silver 
coin used as a bullet from a gun. In a previous 
attempt upon his life, one formed of lead had failed 
to do its appointed work, and it was then concluded 
that magic made him invulnerable to projectiles 
formed of base metal. He was carried to his 
palace at Casa Blanca where he survived but one 
day, yet it is said that in that single day, prompted 
by a diabolical spirit of empty vengeance, he caused 
more people to be put to death than during all his 
previous life. This occurred in 1792, when Yezid 
was in his forty- fourth year, and just as the second 
year of his savage reign was drawing to a close. 

The surf at Sam is so dangerous that the place 



200 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOORS. 



is frequently inaccessible from the sea. It was 
amusing to observe the skill and daring with 
which the boats laden with grain were piloted to 
the vessels in the offing. Just beyond the landing- 
place is a large rock, which at high tide is sur- 
rounded by water. This forms a look-out for a 
Moor, whose duty it is to signal to the boatmen 
when he thinks the surf is practicable for their 
boats. About every seventh wave is the largest, 
and the look-out man counting this succession, 
guides his procedure partly thereby. But with 
every precaution accidents often occur; the bags 
of corn are overwhelmed by the surging waves, 
and lives are sometimes lost. 1 

Four or five miles inland from Saffi there is a 
giant olive-tree. To see it is the favourite object 
of a ride, and the ladies of Mr. Murdoch's family 
were good enough to accompany me thither. 
The ground traversed was in a great part rocky, 
but in places the soil was highly fertile. The 
country then (November 1) was becoming clothed 
with the verdure of spring. Various bulbous 
plants were in bloom ; and in some places we saw 
the beautiful and rare flower, Narcissus Brous- 

1 Captain Hogg, with whom I made the return voyage, told 
me that he had been nine years trading on the coast, and had 
occasion, about six times each year, to stop at Saffi, yet he had 
only ventured to go ashore three times. Such apprehensions 
for the safety of vessels prove the dangerous nature of the 
roadstead. 



SAFFI. 



201 



sonetii in rich clusters, and were charmed with 
the sweetness of its perfume. 2 The pretty little 
Narcissus Serotina was more diffused, yet much 
less gregarious. In one place where grew some 
vigorous plants of the white broom, we noticed 
that their slender branches were tied in numerous 
knots. The sanctuary of a favourite saint lies 
not far off, and at this particular turn of the 
road, where it first comes into view, pious Moors 
stay and make these knots. They are a sort of 
votive offering, made possibly to the dead, as in 
old days stone after stone was added by passers- 
by to the memorial cairn. 

This large olive-tree was held in great respect 
by the Moors, who called it Lallah Goboosha, or 
Lady Olive-tree. The glorious shade from the 
scorching sun which its mass of dark green 
foliage affords truly entitles her ladyship to high 
respect. The outside circumference of the tree 
was, as I ascertained, 120 yards ; and the circum- 
ference of the main trunk, including irregularities, 
28 feet. We judged the height to be about 
45 feet. An olive-tree of these dimensions is, I 
believe, unknown elsewhere. But this eccentric 
old lady seems to have discovered the secret of 
marvellously extending her limits and of renewing 
her youth. 

2 Through the kindness of Mrs. Ford I have been put in 
possession of some bulbs of this plant. They have been grown 
successfully in the Koyal Gardens. Kew. 



202 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



The lower branches grew upwards till, bent by 
their own weight, they became horizontal, and 
rested upon the ground. Here, Antgeus-like, they 
renewed their strength : taking root, and throw- 
ing out perpendicular branches, they blended 
their foliage with the parent tree. One curious 
effect of this process was apparent ; the branches 
were much thicker a long distance from, than they 
were close to the trunk. In some cases, a branch 
after it had left the ground was three or four 
times as thick as the portion between the main 
trunk and the soil. A little consideration explains 
the anomaly. The first part of the branch was 
nourished by sap from the parent tree alone ; 
while the second not only enjoyed this advantage, 
but derived still further sustenance from the 
independent life its roots supplied. The richness 
of the soil in which this splendid tree grew 
accounted for its extraordinary dimensions. 




The fertility and beauty of the gardens belong- 
ing to Europeans at Saffi, and especially that 



SAFFI. 



203 



belonging to Mr. Murdoch, showed what might 
be done by cultivation in this country. The great 
want is irrigation. Wherever that is carried out, 
the earth, otherwise parched and barren for a great 
part of the year, wears a perpetual robe of green. 3 
While I was at Saffi, the Ramadan or Moham- 
medan fast commenced. It was ushered in at 
early dawn by firing of cannon, blowing of horns, 
and other great tumult in the streets. During this 
month of Ramadan, that in which Mohammed 
received his revelation, believers are forbidden to 
eat, drink, smoke, or bathe. Even to swallow 

3 Since the above was written, The Garden, an admirable 
weekly publication, has had an article on this subject. It says, 
" The groves of rose-trees and the flower farms of Morocco 
are said to exceed in extent and value those of Damascus, or 
even those of the Valley of Mexico. The general climate of 
the country is very favourable to this kind of culture. Swept 
alternately by the breezes of the Atlantic and the Mediter- 
ranean, and tempered by the snows of the Atlas ranges, the 
degree of heat in Morocco is much lower than in Algeria, 
while the soil is exceedingly fertile. To the date-palm and to 
orange and lemon-trees the climate appears to be especially 
suited, the dates of Tafilet having been famous even from 
Roman times. The orange plantations are of great extent in 
various parts of the country, while olives and almonds are also 
staples exported in large quantities. Seeing that this fertile 
land, lying within five days' steam of London, produces so much 
vegetable wealth under the most barbarous cultivation, it ap- 
pears extraordinary that European enterprise does not, in such 
a climate, seek profitable employment for its over-abundant 
capital in its application to the development of such vast re- 
sources so close at hand, instead of going so far afield as. 
Australia or America." 



204 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



the spittle between sunrise and sunset is a sin. 
This fast is particularly severe, when, as happened 
on this occasion, the month falls in the hot season. 
The Eamadan, owing to lunar causes, varies greatly 
as to the period of its occurrence. 



CHAPTER XII. 

AZAM00R, AND A RIDE AT NIGHT. 

Upon returning np the coast from Sam, the vessel 
was delayed at Mazagan. I resolved therefore to 
take advantage of this circumstance and ride on 
to Casa Blanca, and thus preceding the vessel, to 
rejoin it there when it arrived. My object was 
to see the ancient town of Azamoor, and the 
country generally to the north of Mazagan. Mr. 
Scott, American vice-consul at Tangier, and Mr. 
Ford, my fellow passengers, agreed to accompany 
me; and Messrs. Redmond and Mr. Spinney, of 
Mazagan, materially assisted in carrying out our 
purpose. 

We set out at two o'clock in the afternoon, 
mounted on mules and accompanied by a soldier 
and a guide. Our way lay close to the sea, over 
a smooth mass of delicate herbage, in many places 
interspersed with white flowers ; the whole resem- 
bling a beautiful carpet of delicate embroidery. 
All the country around was very fertile, and much 
of it was cultivated after a manner. Here and 



206 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



there the plough was at work; and the deep- 
reddish coloured soil gave promise of rich returns. 

We arrived at Azamoor in two hours and a 
quarter, but the town had been for some time 
previously in full view. It is situated on an 
eminence about a mile and a half from the sea, 
and on the southern bank of the Wad-Oum-er- 
Rebiah, " River of Forty Mothers ; " so called from 
its water flowing from many sources. The Arabic 
words have been corrupted into Morbeya, the 
name by which the river is commonly known. 
The town was built by the Berbers, in whose 
language Azamoor means olives, which are pro- 
duced in great perfection in the neighbourhood. 
Leo Africanus says that in his time it contained 
5000 inhabitants, but 1000 would be nearer the 
number in the present day. Azamoor was taken, 
in 1513, by the Portuguese, under the command 
of the Duke of Braganza. He added greatly to 
the strength of its fortifications, but a century 
later it was abandoned as worthless. 

The walls are in comparatively good repair, and 
the place seemed better built, cleaner, and busier, 
than most Moorish towns. "We were received by 
a Moor with whom Mr. Ford had business rela- 
tions ; but though he was civil, and showed us 
about the place, he gave us no encouragement to 
remain there. Indeed it was clear, from the 
glances of the people, that they owed us no good 
will; and the boys were as usual troublesome. 



AZAMOOR, AND A RIDE AT NIGHT. 207 

Azamoor is in fact a most fanatical place, and no 
Christian is allowed to pass a night therein. 

The river, as it flows by the town, appeared to 
be about 100 yards wide; but its stream is deep, 
sluggish, and muddy, and its mouth so obstructed 
by sand-banks as to be unnavigable, except by 
boats. The effects of the tide are felt a long 
distance inland. At certain times the river over- 
flows its banks, and, like the Nile, increases the 
fertility of the adjacent country. 

The prosperity of Azamoor is greatly owing to 
the vast quantities of shebbel, a species of shad, 
which the river yields. These, when dried, are in 
great demand throughout the country. The fish- 
ing season extends from October to the end of 
April. 

While waiting for the embarkation of our mules 
in the ferry-boat, a matter of no little difficulty, 
I shot a gull, which on falling was eagerly exa- 
mined by the Moors. It happened that it did 
not bleed, and that no wounds were visible. These 
results excited great astonishment, and the worthy 
fellows were disposed to assign the death of the 
bird to magic, or to some sinister influence pos- 
sessed by the Europeans. 

The view of the place from the opposite side of 
the river was the most perfect thing of the kind 
I ever saw. The rock upon which the town is 
built rose almost perpendicularly from the river's 
brink ; while a castellated wall with turrets was 



208 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



extended along the edge of the cliff, A crowd of 
square houses, with a minaret here and there, were 
perched one above another on the sloping sides of 
the hill; and some fine palm-trees, inclined in 
different directions, relieved the stiffness of the 
formal and monotonous architecture. The whole 
scene was enriched and lighted up by the red 
glare of the sun sinking in the sea. It would 
have been difficult to find a fairer or more peaceful 
scene, overhanging a fine river, and commanding 
a most fertile but neglected country, than this 
nest of fierce fanatics presented. 

From the river we proceeded through a country 
overgrown with palmettoes. Night soon set in, 
and with it a drizzling rain, so that it became 
suddenly extremely dark. After a ride of only 
three quarters of an hour, we were compelled to 
take refuge at the house of the governor of the 
province. "What, in some respects, this place was 
like I do not know, as we arrived in the dark, and 
left in the dark ; but in one respect it was only 
too forcibly impressed upon our minds. The room 
assigned to us was a better one than usual, and 
was well carpeted. Kuskussoo was sent us ; and 
then, the usual amount of doctoring despatched, 
we tried to sleep. But no sooner did we lie down 
than a whole army of fleas issued from the carpet, 
and, after a vigorous onslaught, took bodily pos- 
session of us. To contend against them, by any- 
thing like attention to a particular attack, was 



AZAMOOE, AIS1D A RIDE AT NIGHT. 209 

wholly useless. We were bitten and run over 
everywhere, — in a word, fairly vanquished. A 
description has been already given of a combined 
assault by a variety of vicious insect tribes ; but 
this was essentially an encounter with fleas, sup- 
ported by what may be termed a light cavalry 
corps of mosquitoes, which made incessant attacks 
wherever there was a chance of drawing blood. It 
is astonishing how habit, aided, probably, by a thick 
cuticle, seems to reconcile the inhabitants of these 
countries to such pests. A Moor of the better 
class, who lay beside us, laughed heartily at our 
misfortunes, assuring us that fleas were perfectly 
innocent bedfellows, which gave him no trouble 
whatever. At length, in despair, we resolved to 
continue the journey. But no trifling difficulties 
interfered with this purpose. The castle gate was 
locked, and the key, we were told, had, as cus- 
tomary, been sent to the governor. To awaken 
the great man was out of the question. It was 
not only a thing unheard of, but one which would 
involve us all in trouble, and bring swift retribu- 
tion to the guards in the shape of the dreaded 
bastinado. The whole was probably a ruse, for 
after much discussion the key was obtained, but 
how or whence from, we did not stop to inquire or 
care to discover. The Moorish passion for money 
prevailed here as elsewhere, and a key of silver 
opened the gate. 

When we had resumed our journe}^, it was a 

p 



210 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



little after one o'clock a.m., and from that hour 
till six a.m., when we made a stop for breakfast, 
we plodded through the darkness, led by our 
guide with marvellous dexterity. To realize this 
skill, it must be borne in mind that the mere 
bridle-path or trackway we followed had not only 
no fence of any kind, but often became quite in- 
visible in the great spaces covered with palmettoes 
and dwarf shrubs. An attack by robbers was not 
much thought about, because our movements had 
not been known beforehand, and that part of the 
country was not of bad repute. At all events we 
considered it better to run some risk than remain 
to be eaten up alive at the palace. 1 

1 I do not remember to have ever been so unable to resist 
sleep as on this journey. The matter would be too trivial to 
mention, but for a circumstance which has a bearing on the 
theory of apparitions. In the first light of early dawn it hap- 
pened more than once that on suddenly waking I was horrified 
at the imminent risk incurred, by the advance of the mule, 
of striking my head, as it appeared, against a solid mass im- 
mediately in front. This proved to be the dark edge of a 
cloud low in the horizon ; and as the intervening sky was par- 
tially illuminated, the cloud was thrown into bold relief. But 
what follows is still more remarkable. I had observed during 
the previous day spots between the palmetto tufts covered with 
straw, so placed as to entice hares to enter traps set to catch 
them. On rousing myself from momentary sleep, I saw dis- 
tinctly, as I thought, at a distance of only some yards from the 
path, a brace of hares moving uneasily in a cage trap. I at 
once turned the mule's head from the path and towards the 
object. During part of my advance the hares appeared to 
move about, but immediately afterwards they and the cage 



AZAM00R, AND A RIDE AT NIGHT. 



211 



The ride fromMazagan to the governor's house, 
not including stoppages, occupied eleven hours and 
a quarter, which made the distance about forty-five 
miles. From the governor's house to Casa Blanca 
took three hours, so that the distance between 
Mazagan and Casa Blanca is, by this calculation, 
fifty- seven miles. 

suddenly vanished, and a clump of palmettoes occupied the 
place in which I had seen them. As turning from the path 
required an effort of the will, there can, therefore, be no doubt 
that, under certain circumstances, such as fatigue and want 
of rest, a state of dreaming while the faculties are awake may 
be induced. Thus the purely subjective images of a dream 
become supplemented by visual impressions. On this principle 
apparitions alleged to have been seen by persons wide awake 
may be explained. 



r 2 



CHAPTER XIII. 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 

In the preceding chapters a good deal has been 
incidentally said of the features of the country; of 
its natural history and productions ; and of the 
government, religion, and general habits of the 
people. In the succeeding chapters we propose 
to give supplementary sketches of the same 
subject, so as to convey to the reader, a general 
notion of Morocco in its present state. 

The Sultanate, or Empire of Morocco, known to 
its inhabitants as Magrib-el-Aksa, or the extreme 
west, a country much larger than Spain, is 
situated between 28° and 36° of north latitude. 
Its superficial extent is calculated to be about 
220,000 square miles. The three former king- 
doms of Fez, Morocco, and Tafilet are included 
within its limits. The country is traversed 
throughout its whole extent from north-east to 
south-west by the immense range of the Atlas moun- 
tains, which also send off many lesser branches 
both towards the ocean and towards the desert. 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 213 



The valleys and plains intervening between these 
numerous mountain chains are watered by many 
rivers and smaller affluents. The principal rivers, 
placed in order from north to south, and all 
of which flow into the ocean, are the Lucos, the 
Sebou, the Buregreg, the Oum-er-Rebiah, the 
Tensift, the Sus, the Noon, and the Draa. Yery 
little is known of those in the south, but it is 
believed that none of the rivers of Morocco are 
navigable to any extent. 

The twenty provinces which formed the king- 
doms of Fez and Morocco occupy the northern 
and middle regions. The southern provinces, 
which formed the kingdom of Tafilet, are very 
imperfectly known, and are inhabited by a rude 
and fanatical population which scarcely acknow- 
ledges the sovereignty of the sultan. The coast- 
line of Morocco extends about 800 miles, 550 
being on the Atlantic and 250 on the Mediterranean. 
The climate of Tangier in the north, and of 
Mogador in the south, has already been spoken of 
at some length. It is enough to say here that the 
climate of the coasts is, as a rule, tempered and 
refreshed by winds cooled by sea-breezes, while 
the summer temperature of the interior reaches a 
tropical heat. 

There are several cities or large towns, besides 
a great number of small towns and villages. The 
principal cities lie inland, namely, Morocco, Mequi- 
nez, Fez, El Kassar, Wazan, Terodant, and 



214 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



others hardly known to the outside world. The 
chief maritime towns are Tetuan, Tangier, Larache, 
Casa Blanca, Azamoor, Mazagan, Saffi, Sallee, 
Eabat, and Mogador. 

It is extremely difficult to form an estimate, 
even approximately, of population scattered so 
unequally over an extensive area. In fact the 
estimates vary from four to fifteen millions, and 
therefore it is best to set the calculation down at 
something between these figures. It is believed 
that the population has materially diminished since 
the sixteenth century. In some of the sea-ports, 
however, the number of inhabitants increases 
slightly, especially that of the Jews, who depend 
on commerce. 

Excluding the negroes and the Jews, the eye of 
the traveller soon detects well-marked differences 
in the outward aspect of the people. Brown of 
various tints is the usual colour of the skin ; and 
that of some individuals greatly resembles the 
rich tone of a well-smoked meerschaum pipe. 
Others are as light- coloured as the inhabitants of 
southern Europe. Albinoes are now and then 
seen. One, whom we met at Saffi, was a well- 
grown young man. His beard resembled snow in 
colour, and his skin presented a peculiar flat 
whiteness. 

The difference in features and build is more 
striking than that of the colour of the skin. For 
although, for convenience, we have called all the 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 



215 



brown-coloured inhabitants Moors, yet, properly- 
speaking, these form only a section of the whole. 
Three distinct races are usually included under the 
name of Moors, namely, the Arabs, the true 
Moors, and the Berbers. 

The Arabs came originally from the Sahara, 
over whose boundless wastes a large proportion of 
their race still wander. The primitive custom of 
living in tents made of goats' hair still remains 
with these Arabs of Morocco, who inhabit all the 
country west of the Atlas as far down as Mogador. 
They are agriculturists ; but one of the obstacles 
to the development of the country is their restless 
and quarrelsome nature. These Arab tribes are 
continually at war with eacli other. It is un- 
happily the policy of the Government, on account 
of its own weakness, to encourage these dissensions, 
in order to preserve the empire from more serious 
danger. Hospitality even towards an enemy 
seeking an asylum is one of the patriarchal virtues 
which the Arab still retains. 

The Moors are essentially townsmen. They are 
the degenerate descendants of that section of the 
Arab race who, in the eighth century, after 
establishing the powerful kingdom of Fez, overran 
a large portion of Spain. There with varying 
fortunes they remained till the fifteenth century, 
when they were finally expelled, but, as is well 
known, not without having largely contributed to 
the advancement of science, literature, and art, in 



216 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



the country of their adoption. The language of 
the Moors of Morocco still bears testimony to 
this brilliant and long connexion of their ancestry 
with Spain. Many Spanish words are interspersed 
in the Arab dialect they speak. 

The Moors and Arabs, thus springing originally 
from one race, differ mainly from each other, only 
in so far as the inhabitants of towns differ from 
those of the country. The Moors, as might be 
expected, are a fairer race. Both are tall, well 
made, and capable of great fatigue. They are 
pleasing in manner; and many of them appear 
to be men of ability. But, as a rule, they are 
boastful, faithless as regards promises, and apt to 
mistake courtesy of manner and much civility on 
the part of a stranger as indications of fear. 

The Moors fill the chief places under the 
Government; and, notwithstanding a great in- 
feriority in numbers, possess more power than 
any of the other races. They are also much 
given to commerce, and have a good deal of 
wealth among them. 

The Berbers are the descendants of the old 
Gaetulian stock by which this part of Africa was 
once populated. One division of the Berbers 
inhabit the Atlas mountains to the north of the 
city of Morocco. They live for the most part 
in tents and support themselves by husbandry. 
They also collect much wax and honey from their 
bees, and are great hunters. 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 



217 



The Berbers of the Riff province, in the north- 
eastern part of the Atlas, are of lighter com- 
plexion than the other sections of their race. 
They are of middle size ; but they are well-knit, 
active, and possess a great power of endurance. 
They are a turbulent and aggressive people ; con- 
stantly at war with their neighbours or among 
themselves. This unsettled and warlike spirit 
gives great trouble to the Government. Formerly 
the Riffians were noted pirates ; but the vigilance 
of the European powers has freed the shores of 
the Mediterranean from dangers arising from this 
source. The greatest insult one Riffian can offer 
to another is in saying, " Your father died in his 
bed." No further evidence is needed than this of 
the sanguinary nature of the people. 

The Shluh is another division of the Berber 
race, about which less is known than of the 
others. They inhabit the southern ranges of the 
Atlas mountains and the country south of Moga- 
dor generally. They live mainly by husbandry, but 
are of more settled habits than their brethren. 
Walled towns take the place among them of the 
douar, or circle of tents. Their food consists 
chiefly of barley prepared in various ways. 

In person the Shluhs are dark complexioned 
and tall, and their hands and feet struck us as 
being smaller and better formed than those of the 
other races. Generally speaking, Moors and Arabs 
are alike clumsy about the ankles and feet. A 



218 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



tradition exists that the Shluhs are in part derived 
from an intermixture of Portuguese lineage from 
the ancient colonies which existed on the coast. 
What gives colour to the statement is the fact 
that in a remote region of the Atlas, near Deminet, 
the ruins of a church containing a Latin inscrip- 
tion, are still to be observed. The superstition 
of the people and the fear of gins or evil spirits 
have been the means of preserving these ruins. 
But from what is known of the tendency of 
crossed races to resort to the predominating type, 
it is very improbable, even assuming the inter- 
mixture, that the Portuguese element is at present 
discernible. 

The Shluh is quite a match for his neighbours 
in cunning as well as in warlike propensities. In 
the province of Sus and other places this race 
yields an obedience to the sultan which is little 
more than nominal. The Shluh women accompany 
the men in their tribal fights, and not only urge 
them on, but often fight themselves with ferocious 
courage. The Berber language is entirely distinct 
from Arabic. It is extremely harsh and guttural, 
and has been supposed to be a remnant of the 
ancient Carthagenian. The Shluhs speak a dialect 
peculiar to themselves. No written characters 
belong to the Berber language. 

The women of all these races possess fine 
figures. The female peasantry are content with 
scantier robes than the women of the towns ; and 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 



219 



there are many among them that might sit as 
models to the most fastidious artist. Close 
seclusion and muffling of the face limit observa- 
tion, but the traveller sees enough to convince 
him that the gift of beauty has not been withheld 
from the women of Morocco. The appearance of 
their eyes is enhanced by darkening the lids with 
kohl ; and the colour and contour of the face 
suggest the idea of finely cast bronze, endowed 
with an ever-varying expression. The women of 
Mequinez are proverbially the most beautiful in 
the country. Mequinasia is a term applied to any 
handsome woman. All the people known collec- 
tively as Moors have remarkably fine teeth. 

Although capable of enduring great fatigue 
when induced by a sufficient object, the Moors are 
essentially inert and lazy. Not one of them would 
take a walk for walking sake. They have a pro- 
verb which well expresses their views on this 
subject. 

" Never sit when you can lie, 
Never stand when you can sit. 
Never walk when you can stand, 
Never run when you can walk." 

Everywhere numbers of individuals are to be 
observed in whom the features and other physical 
characteristics of the negro race prevail more or 
less. The Mussulman doctrine of equality leads 
to this result, and for the same reason no social 
disadvantage is incurred by those who, in anyway, 



220 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



betray their alliance, whether more or less, to the 
negro type. The late emperor showed evident 
traces of black blood. 

The negro population of Morocco is consider- 
able, and a large proportion of it are slaves. But 
the subject of slavery will be again referred to. 
The negro of this country is more sightly and 
seems more intelligent than the west coast black. 
He is brought when a boy, rarely or ever as an 
adult, from the far interior. But many of the 
blacks are descendants of those who have inhabited 
Morocco for many generations. A large number 
of the free negroes are enrolled in the bokhary, 
the sultan's black body-guard. These men enjoy 
certain privileges, and many aspire to the highest 
offices. The negroes of Morocco speak a language 
of their own called Guenaoui. 

The Jews of Morocco, about whom we have 
already said a good deal, are descended from those 
of their race who, expelled at various periods from 
European countries, found in part an asylum in 
that country. They are, however, mainly derived 
from the Israelites who were expelled from Spain 
in 1492, and from Portugal in 1496, and form at 
present a large and important section of the popu- 
lation; yet, considering their number and position> 
it is difficult to conceive why they bow their 
necks so submissively to the yoke, for they are 
brow-beaten, despised, and treated with habitual 
harshness. The anomaly is the stranger for the 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 



221 



reason that in a certain sense they are a dominant 
and powerful race. Love of gain, cunning and 
self-interest teach them how to be indispensable to 
the Moors. In Morocco, as elsewhere, the Jew is 
a master of finance and turns his knowledge to the 
best account. 

Some of the highest places of trust are held by 
Jews. They farm the taxes and negotiate many 
matters of public business with the outside world. 
They live principally in the towns, where, as usual, 
they give themselves up to trade. Some branches 
they almost monopolize. They are butchers, bakers, 
silversmiths, engravers, tailors, shoemakers, and 
leatherworkers ; but rarely carpenters, and seldom 
if ever masons, blacksmiths, potters, saddlers, 
curriers, or boatmen. As a rule, the Jews are 
comparatively fair complexioned, and, when dressed 
in the costume of Europe, pass readily for Euro- 
peans. 

In the southern province of Sus, the Jew is 
regarded as so indispensable to the prosperity of 
the country that he is not allowed to leave it. If 
he gets permission to go to Mogador to trade, it is 
only on condition that he leaves his wife and 
family, or some relation to whom he is known to 
be attached, as surety for his return. 

The Moorish Jews follow the Portuguese ritual 
in respect to religion and its services. They are, 
as a rule, extremely ignorant and superstitious, and 
observe to the letter the precepts of the Talmud 



222 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



as interpreted by their priests. Through the 
cosmopolitan charity of their brethren abroad, 
noble exertions are now being made to rectify this 
state of things by educating the rising generation 
of Israelites. The Board of Deputies in London, 
acting in consort with the " Alliance TJniverselle " 
at Paris, have established schools at Tetuan, Tan- 
gier, Sam, and Mogador, and the best results appear 
already. The veteran philanthropist, Sir Moses 
Montefiore, has taken much interest in this good 
and needed work. 

The renegades consist almost entirely of con- 
victs who have escaped from the Spanish penal 
establishments on the northern coast of Morocco, 
of Ceuta, Melilla, and from some smaller stations. 
There are a few French and Italians among 
them, but no British subject, so far as we could 
hear. Most of the renegades are employed in 
the army, but the total number is inconsider- 
able. 

The few Europeans in Morocco are entirely con- 
fined to the seaports, and are found especially at 
Tangier and Mogador. At Azamoor, Agadir, and 
some other coast towns, there are no European 
residents. In point of numbers the various races 
of Morocco may be ranged as follows : — Berbers, 
Arabs, Moors, Negroes, and Jews. The last num- 
ber, it is believed, about 100,000 souls. 

Arrogance, the invariable sign and accompani- 
ment of ignorance, is a prominent characteristic of 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 



223 



the Moor. He believes himself and his nation to 
be superior to all the world. He recognizes the 
inventions and improvements made by Europeans, 
but it is the recognition of disdain. Railroads and 
telegraphs may be necessary to Europeans, but 
they are not necessary to his wants. As his 
fathers lived and died, so he desires to do. Never- 
theless, we cannot help thinking that the day is 
not distant when the Moor, like the Turk, will 
open his country to foreigners ; and that one of 
the last strongholds of conservatism will give way 
before the advance of enlightened opinion. The 
chief thing indispensable for the commencement 
and facilitation of this much needed intercourse is 
the removal of restrictive duties upon articles of 
commerce. This freedom would at once stimulate 
productive energy and create resources, instead of 
inflicting, as is ignorantly apprehended, injury on 
the country and its people. But, on all such 
matters, conservatism has been always slow, not 
only in comprehending, but in introducing innova- 
tion. The lever of all others, which may just now 
be expected to act upon the Moor, is his desire to 
get money. His covetousness is an ancient by- 
word. Whenever it becomes clear to him that the 
Kaffir and the introduction of the Kaffir's arts, 
will be a source of direct gain, the believer, like 
other men, will tolerate, and at length welcome, 
innovation. 

It must be owned, that though we met with 



224 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



undeserved rudeness when placed in an unofficial 
and almost unprotected position in the city of 
Morocco, we otherwise received much courtesy 
and politeness from the higher class of educated 
Moors. When they choose, or when they think 
it their interest to be so, they are polite and com- 
municative, and show more of good breeding than 
might be looked for. They are hospitable in a 
sense in which they are taught by a religion that, 
with all its faults, has many redeeming qualities. 
As a rule, when you have eaten of his salt the 
Mussulman regards you as his friend. 

The Moorish nature is cruel, and insensible to 
suffering not personally experienced. The tor- 
tures inflicted by those in power in the name of 
law, but frequently out of revenge, or to extract 
money, will be referred to hereafter. The Moors 
do not even comprehend how any one can be 
interested in the sufferings of the lower animals. 
The mules' backs often become terribly sore in 
travelling, from the carelessness of the men in 
charge; and should the traveller or spectator 
insist that something should be done to relieve 
this or other suffering, it is effected with reluc- 
tance, or ill-concealed derision. It is a common 
thing to see fowls tied by the legs, and of course 
head downwards, to the saddle ; and in this way 
the wretched birds are taken long journeys. On 
our objecting to this cruel custom, the Moors 
laughed outright at our folly. 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 



225 



The Moors are notably a sensual people. Not 
content with the legal number of four wives, 
which some who can afford it have, they indulge 
in the possession of concubines, who live under 
the same roof ; and vices of a worse kind are far 
from uncommon among them. 

We were often struck with the extraordinary 
vivacity and inexhaustible spirits of many of the 
lower classes of Moors with whom a visitor to 
Morocco comes in contact. They are the Irishmen 
of Africa. As in the case of the Irish Celt, ages 
of oppression, misrule, and poverty, from which, 
as yet, the Moor has not emerged, have been 
insufficient to crush out a keen sense of humour 
and a tendency to see things from their comic 
side. Some of the Moors are also inimitable 
mimics. We have seen a fellow imitate the 
manners, gestures, and tone of voice of another, 
in a way that made laughter perfectly irresistible. 

The fundamental political idea of Republics , 
that all men are equal at birth, prevails in Morocco. 
Every free man may aspire to the highest offices 
in the state, and nothing, except official employ- 
ment, bestows rank. The man who has been a 
slave may aspire to be a bashaw, and the bashaw 
descends to a private station and poverty with 
far less feeling of degradation than we can under- 
stand. It is true that ability is not the only test 
of fitness for promotion, or integrity the best 
means of retaining power. He that subserves 

Q 



226 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



readily and fully to the supreme will of the sultan, 
and contributes most to the Imperial coffers at 
the expense of his unhappy countrymen, prospers 
best. 

Slavery is a delicate subject to touch upon, 
unless with the foregone conclusion that it is to 
be mentioned only to be condemned. Of slavery 
considered in the abstract, although favourably 
regarded by the Koran, and by no means repu- 
diated in our own Sacred Books, not a fair word 
can be said. Yet it must be borne in mind that 
the iron yoke and barbarities which we associate 
with the unhappy lot of the slave belonged to a 
condition for which so-called Christian men of 
England and of America were responsible. If the 
greed of gain had not sanctioned the systematic 
perpetration of a tyranny unknown to the Moslem, 
little interest would now-a-days be excited by the 
subject of Moslem slavery. To say the truth, 
much philanthropy has been expended upon it to 
little purpose. 

The problem which the so-called followers of 
Christ kept steadily in view was, how to get the 
largest amount of work out of the slave, or human 
machine, consistent with health, or, in other words, 
with continued labour. The one foul, selfish con- 
sideration of the owner was, how to wring the 
most profit out of the perpetual toil of flesh and 
blood which he considered his. 

Contrast this course with that taken by the 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 227 

followers of Mohammed. With them the slave is 
adopted into the family and lives much on equality 
with its other members. So far, at least, as the 
duties of religion are concerned, he is educated. 
He is well fed and clothed, and it can scarcely 
be said that he is worse off, or that he is as low 
in the scale of life, as he would have been if left 
wild in his native solitudes. Some of the highest 
placed men in Morocco, not excepting the sultan 
himself, have negro blood in their veins. The 
slave is obliged to work for his master ; but it is 
not the labour of the West Indian sugar-cane planta- 
tion, or the American cotton-field. If he is hired 
out he is obliged to give up the greater part of 
his earnings to his owner ; but he is often allowed 
to retain them ; or else he contrives to appro- 
priate a portion with which to purchase his free- 
dom. We should say, relying on our own obser- 
vation, that it would be difficult to find a happier 
or more contented set of people. All observers 
indeed admit that slaves, as a rule, are well 
treated in Morocco. If a slave be ill-treated he 
can demand by law to be sold, and, in such a 
case, it sometimes happens that he obtains his 
freedom by getting a friend to become his pur- 
chaser. In very many instances slaves are so 
much attached to their owners that they refuse 
to be liberated. If a slave runs away it is in the 
power of his master to beat, or to imprison him. 
In the street the passer-by sees young runaway 

Q 2 



228 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



slaves with manacles on their feet ; but, generally- 
speaking, the runaway slave is an incorrigible 
scamp. 

Married couples owned by the same master 
are seldom separated, unless he is compelled by 
necessity to sell his slaves. This separation is 
the cruellest part of the system. As for the sale 
of children, it comes practically to much the same 
thing as that of putting free-born children out 
to apprenticeship or service. 

As all negroes are supposed to be Mohamme- 
dans, Jews and Christians are not allowed to hold 
slaves. For to serve any but true believers would 
be a degradation greater than bonds. But the 
law, in this respect, is often broken. A Moorish 
friend buys, in his own name, the slave for the 
infidel. 

In all places of exile, whether they be African 
or American, the negro shows his joyous nature. 
In Morocco, during festivals, the negroes parade 
the streets playing on instruments peculiar to 
themselves; and this discordant jargon, singular 
to say, exerts upon them an effect of intoxication. 

The number of slaves in Morocco is very large. 
In the houses of governors, and other rich Moors, 
many of both sexes are always to be found ; and 
there are few Moors above the lowest rank who 
do not possess one or more. Slaves are brought 
by caravans to Morocco and sold in exchange for 
salt and other commodities. They have usually 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 229 



travelled from Timbuctoo, to which place they 
have been conveyed from Bambarra and other 
places in the Soudan. It is to be feared that the 
capture of these slaves is attended by the same 
outrages as in other parts of Africa. For these 
and like atrocities no palliation is offered ; it is 
only suggested that, when settled in Morocco, the 
slave is probably better off than when a free man 
beyond its borders. 

As previously said, almost all the slaves im- 
ported are children, who soon fall into the ways 
of their masters. In Morocco city there is a 
slave-market; but in most other places slaves 
are led through the streets for sale by auction. 
They are generally paraded in this way for three 
days prior to sale, attended by a crier, who makes 
known the particular characteristics and qualifica- 
tions of each individual. A healthy, well-grown 
boy or girl brings about 201. ; but we were offered 
a girl of twelve years of age, who had scrofulous 
tumours in the neck, for 41. 

In the matter of dress, the national colour of 
Morocco is white. Men as well as women appear 
in flowing robes of this colour. The dress of the 
men consists of a finely worked shirt (kumja) 
fastened down the breast by numerous small but- 
tons and loops, and of very loose drawers. Over 
this is sometimes worn a coat with large sleeves 
(caftan) buttoned closely in front. For out-door 
wear the haik is indispensable. This garment is 



230 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



a wide piece of thin cotton, woollen, or occa- 
sionally silk material, about six yards in length. 
It is arranged about the body, as also the head, 
in a series of artistic folds, which in our own case 
rendered dressing without assistance an utterly 
hopeless process. Stockings are not used, and 
the feet are thrust into a pair of loose-fitting yellow 
slippers, to walk in which without fatigue the 
wearer must be to the manner born. A red fez 
cap is worn on the head, and round this a turban 
made of a many-folded length of thin muslin. 

In cold or rainy weather a cloak of thick 
woollen material (jelabeer) is worn instead of 
the haik. This has a pointed hood which, placed 
over the head, gives the figure a cone-like ap- 
pearance. When not in use this hood hangs 
down the back. The jelabeer has holes for the 
arms to pass through, and descends low enough to 
cover the knees. Many of the poorer classes 
always wear the jelabeer. Sometimes, and espe- 
cially in the north of Morocco, the jelabeer is 
of a dark colour. In this part jackets and 
loose trousers of cherry, or some other coloured 
cloth, are also a good deal worn; and striped 
materials in various textures are favoured by the 
Moors. 

The dress of the women is much the same as 
that of the men ; but the haik is arranged differently, 
and is employed in concealing the features when 
any of the opposite sex are present. The hair is 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 231 



carefully covered by a handkerchief of black silk, 
over which another of gay colours is coquettishly 
arranged. The women wear red slippers, and 
these are often handsomely embroidered in gold. 
The ladies are very partial to jewellery. The 
wealthy wear finger-rings and huge earrings of 
gold set with precious stones, necklaces of amber 
or coral, and massive bracelets of gold, armlets 
and anklets of silver inlaid with gold. 

Diamonds are not much in use; but rubies, 
emeralds, generally uncut, and pearls of inferior 
quality are often seen. The Moors consider that 
the risk of fraud by imitation is lessened by not 
having precious stones submitted to the art of 
the lapidary. The Moorish and Jewish ladies are 
much given to the fictitious improvement of their 
charms by the use of rouge. Both also stain their 
hands and feet with henna, and blacken their 
eyelids with kohl. Tattooing is alone practised by 
the Moors. 

Throughout the provinces of Morocco are a few 
water-mills, 1 of a most primitive kind, for grinding 
corn ; and in the large towns are a considerable 
number of corn-mills, each one turned by a horse ; 
but the labour of grinding corn and preparing 
meal falls mainly on the women. A small hand- 
mill is to be found in almost every dwelling. 

1 As old probably as the Roman period. Mills of similar 
construction, and set amid Roman remains, are found in Syria 
and the East. 



232 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



Good bread in the form of flat cakes is made and 
sold in the towns ; but the national dish of 
Morocco is kuskussoo. This resembles granulated 
maccaroni, and is palatable as well as highly 
nutritious. It is often cooked with pieces of 
meat, and butter is usually added ; but the latter 
is, generally speaking, so rancid as to make the 
mess unendurable to Europeans, unless under the 
pressure of hunger. 

There must be considerable art in the manu- 
facture of kuskussoo. The women make it by 
dexterously passing their hands, previously wetted 
with water, over a layer of flour placed in a tray ; 
moistened particles are thus formed, which, by the 
action of the fingers, become granulated masses. 
These are constantly removed as the operation 
progresses. The granules are afterwards sifted in 
a sieve made of a sheepskin pierced with holes, 
and the larger masses rejected. When dried in 
the sun the kuskussoo is fit for use. The granules 
vary in size, but are generally about as large as a 
mustard-seed. 

The use of steam in cooking is comparatively a 
recent improvement among ourselves ; but, in the 
preparation of their national dish, the Moors, from 
a remote period, have employed this method. 
For this purpose they use a double pot. The 
lower one, containing water, is placed on the 
fire, and in this meat or poultry is boiled. The 
upper pot fits on this, and the bottom being 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 



233 



pierced with holes, admits steam to the kuskussoo 
it contains. 2 

The Moors as a nation are fairly well-fed. Food 
is abundant except in famine years, when locusts 
or a drought destroy the crops. Many of them 
scarcely ever eat meat. Cakes of barley meal are 
the staple food of the poorer classes; and if to 
these they are enabled to add buttermilk, they are 
considered fortunate. The Moor never puts aside 
the remnant of a meal ; it is given to his poorer 
neighbours ; but, except among the Jews, there is 
little actual want. Maize is largely used, and 
wheat by those who can afford it. For some years 
previous to our visit, cows had not been killed on 
account of the scarcity of horned cattle. Mutton 
and fowls are the chief articles of animal food. 
Camels are killed and eaten only when the animals 
are hopelessly injured. 

To be a guest at a Moorish dinner-party is 
somewhat trying to the uninitiated. There are 
no chairs, table, knives, forks, or spoons. The 
company sit in a circle, cross-legged, on the floor. 
Sometimes, indeed, an apology for a table, a few 
inches in height, is placed in the centre. Upon 
this, or on the floor, a huge case made of straw, 
sewn together and decorated with coloured leather- 
work, is placed. A conical cover of the same 

2 See on this subject " Pillars of Hercules," by David TJrqu- 
hart; vol. i. p. 398. London, 1850. A truly philosophical 
work. 



234 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



material fits over the case, and when the former is 
removed a wooden bowl or tub filled with kus- 
kussoo is displayed. Before eating, every one 
says grace for himself by exclaiming, " Bismallah ! " 
" In the name of God ! " Each person then thrusts 
the fingers of his right hand into the smoking mess, 
and taking up a considerable quantity, forms it 
into a sort of ball or lump ; and then, by a clever 
jerk, tosses it into his mouth, which the serving- 
hand is not allowed to touch. The left hand is 
never used in eating. Once it happened that a 
Moor who dined in our company paid an attention 
which would gladly have been dispensed with. 
Taking a piece of mutton out of the kuskussoo, 
and using but one hand, he slowly manipulated it 
between his fingers till fat and lean were separated. 
He then presented the delicate morsel to our 
mouth, which, though unwillingly, we had to take 
as a matter of politeness. It must, however, be 
borne in mind that the Moors wash their hands 
before beginning to eat, and do not touch the 
mouth in eating. From all this it will be seen, 
that the etiquette of the Moorish dinner-table is 
quite as exacting as the corresponding etiquette 
among ourselves. After each meal, water and 
napkins are brought for the hands. 

We have already described some of the amuse- 
ments of the Moors. Military exercises, or powder- 
play, on foot or on horseback, are popular. They 
have also games of leap-frog, leaping, and foot- 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 



235 



ball, played by kicking up the ball without any 
reference to a goal. Mention has been made of 
the story-tellers and jugglers. Some of the best 
jugglers come from Sus, and it is curious to 
observe among a rude people the performance of 
tricks and artifices such as the best European 
masters of legerdemain would hardly equal. 

The dances of the Moorish girls who hire them- 
selves out for exhibition are similar to those 
which we had seen in Egypt and other parts 
of the East. They consist more in posture and 
movements of the feet without raising them, 
than in what is usually called dancing. To say 
the least, these performances are anything but 
decorous. 

Every one knows that the Eastern nations 
prefer fatness to leanness. The Indian baboo 
adds to his corporeal development, as well as to 
his importance, by swallowing an unlimited 
quantity of ghee. In Morocco the taste for obesity 
principally affects the fair sex. Ladies must be 
fat, for such is the will and pleasure of their lords 
and masters. Mussulman and Jew are on this 
point alike unanimous. Both are great admirers 
of the female figure ; but in their eyes the Venus 
de Medici, or the Yenus of Milo would have been 
far from perfect. They sigh for much fuller 
charms than even Rubens would have looked for 
in his models. 

As soon as a young lady is engaged, it at once 



236 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOORS. 



becomes her duty to fatten herself, if she is thin, 
and, if already plump, to increase this duly. A 
certain reticence is observed about all this ; but 
the whole mystery was kindly revealed to us by a 
Jewish lady of Mogador who was our patient. 
The system may be fairly called anti-Bantingism, 
as the food is made to largely consist of fat- 
producing elements. The crumb of large loaves, 
made expressly for the purpose, is moulded by the 
fingers into great pellets rather thicker and nearly 
as long as the human thumb. These are called 
harrabel, and in shape they resemble conical 
cannon-shot, except that they are double cones. 
From forty to fifty of these are swallowed, by the 
aid of a little tea or infusion of thyme, after the 
midday meal, and this process is repeated at bed- 
time. Literally speaking, the operation is one of 
cramming, differing only from that employed in 
fattening poultry by its being voluntary. The 
modus operandi consists in pressing the big solid 
mass down the gullet with the fingers as far as 
possible, so that the act of swallowing must 
necessarily follow. At first there is, as a general 
rule, great repugnance to the process, with sub- 
sequent feelings of indigestion. But it was stated 
to us that habit soon sets both points right, 
and no inconvenience is experienced. Twenty 
days of cramming is considered a fair course. By 
the end of this time, if the general health is good, 
the increase of embonpoint is very obvious. If 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 237 

necessary, the course is now prolonged ; and some 
women whose tendency it is to fall away have 
recourse to it at certain intervals of time. El 
helba, fenugreek seeds, are also much used by 
women for inducing fatness. The high estimation 
in which obesity is held by the men seems not 
only to have a great moral effect upon the women, 
but to make them disregard the trouble of the 
fattening process. There is no subject about 
which they are more jealous than that of fat- 
ness. If Mrs. A., although an Israelite, par- 
takes of the nature of Pharaoh's lean kine, she 
regards with intense envy, and consequently hatred, 
the broad expanse and duck-like movements of 
Mrs. B. Now, since fatness is a question of 
degree, and no woman can be too fat, even one 
fairly well-favoured in this respect may be eclipsed 
and rendered wretched by the knowledge that 
among her friends or acquaintances is a monster 
of nature or art, or both combined. Thus in 
Mogador there was a lady of such immense pro- 
portions, that when she took an out-door walk, 
an event of rare occurrence, it was necessary to 
have a strong man on either side, so as to support 
her as she moved, and to lift her when she 
wished to rise ; for a third man, carrying a 
chair, formed part of the procession. On this, 
in the open street, she sat down groaning 
at short intervals, and the difficulties attending 
the raising up and propelling onwards this 



238 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



cumbrous mass of human flesh were ludicrous in 
the extreme. 

There was nothing in Morocco we tried more to 
avoid than the customary tea-parties, both on 
account of their effects and the loss of time. Tea 
is the dissipation of the country, and is practised 
at all times of the day. By this habit many of the 
Moors impair their health. Unfortunately, it is 
contrary to etiquette to refuse tea, as it used to be 
in England to refuse wine when your host called 
upon you to refill your glass. Tea has been known 
to the Moors for a long period, and it is curious to 
find this exotic beverage in such universal use. 
They are great connoisseurs, and will only drink 
fine green tea, which makes the practice all the 
more injurious to the nerves of a stranger. It is 
imported from England, and sells in Morocco at 
from four to six shillings a pound. The equipage 
in which it is served is often elegant and costly ; 
the teapot among the wealthy being of silver, and 
the cups, which are always shaped like those used 
in England for coffee, being sometimes fine 
specimens of oriental or of European porcelains. 
Usually, however, tea is taken in small footless 
glasses adorned with gilding, and of German 
manufacture. 

The tea is washed before it is infused, and a 
great quantity of sugar is put into the teapot. It 
is, in fact, a syrup ; and it might be supposed that 
people so particular about flavours as are the 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 



239 



Moors would find such excessive sweetness objec- 
tionable. Yet what is more extraordinary still, 
they endeavour apparently to suppress the delicate 
tea-flavour altogether. There is a regular course 
of tea impregnated with different flavours which 
are all more or less disagreeable to the novice. 
The order of these may vary; but from the 
numerous opportunities we had of judging, the 
following seemed the rule in " the best circles." 
First there was a round of plain green tea with no 
addition but sugar. Milk or cream was never 
used. Then came a second course, in which spear- 
mint was infused — a horrible compound. Third, 
an infusion of tea with wormwood, not quite so 
objectionable. Fourth, one flavoured with lemon 
verbena. Fifth, one with citron. Sixth, and more 
rarely, as being an expensive luxury, and intended 
as a great compliment, tea, with a little ambergris 
scraped into it, and which could be seen floating 
like grease on the surface. Of this, the flavour, if 
peculiar, was not disagreeable. Each course of 
tea was taken while very warm, and with a loud 
smacking noise of the lips ; nothing meanwhile was 
eaten. 

As time is of no value to the Moor, many hours 
are consumed at a sitting. The tea-party is 
frequently held in the open air, and often in a 
garden under the shade of lofty trees. Here 
carpets are spread by the servants, who also light 
a fire and boil the water for the tea. At these 



240 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



parties politics, so far as may be safely, are 
discussed ; and the retail of gossip is an invariable 
and important business. Tea and gossip, pro- 
verbially associated, are supposed with us to belong 
exclusively to the fair sex ; but in the country of 
the Moors the turbaned squatters seem equally 
masters of the situation. 

We saw and heard less of the effects of kief 
than we had expected. 3 This intoxicating drug is 
prepared from hemp, which, as regards the quality 
in question, Morocco produces in greater perfec- 
tion than any other country. Now and then a 
Moor may be seen drawing those few puffs from a 
miniature pipe which are sufficient to induce the 
dreamy condition so plainly visible in his droop- 
ing, purposeless eyes. But, as a rule, this kind of 
smoking is done in private, and, so far as we 
could learn, the practice, as also that of eating 
hashish, as a confection made with kief is called, 
are not so injurious to health as might be expected. 
We made trial of this confection, and can bear 
testimony to the remarkable mental phenomena 
it induces. 

The Moors are not a nation of tobacco smokers ; 
yet the practice is indulged in by many. A long 
pipe is used, but the nargily or water-pipe of the 
Turks is, we believe, unknown to them. In some 
parts Spanish cigarettes are largely smoked. 



3 See Appendix E. 



THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 



241 



Snuff-taking is also much in vogue. Some snuff, 
which we had made for us in the city of Morocco, 
was of good quality. In making snuff, powdered 
walnut shells and the ashes of the broom plant are 
mixed with the tobacco. 

The Jews are very fond of mahaya, a weak, 
colourless spirit, flavoured with aniseed, which 
they prepare. This spirit seems to be made from 
almost any fermentable material; for they use 
indifferently grapes, pomegranates, figs, or dates ; 
and at Mogador and other places whence wax is 
exported mahaya is largely made from water in 
which honeycombs have been boiled. 

The distillation of this spirit is conducted in the 
rudest manner ; for we witnessed the process at 
Casa Blanca. The condenser consisted of an old 
gun-barrel, while the water into which the lower 
end was plunged, in order to cause condensation, 
was allowed to become too hot for the hand to 
bear. So much for the science and manufactories 
of Morocco. 

The Jews also make wine; but it does much 
injustice to the splendid grapes grown in the 
country. Their method is this : they boil down 
the fresh juice to about half its original bulk. 
This, after keeping for some days, is mixed with 
unboiled juice and allowed to ferment. The 
product is a dark, sweet liquid, somewhat resem- 
bling inferior Malaga wine. Another kind is also 
made which is not unlike poor claret. 

E 



242 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



The Jews will not drink sherry, and their 
sapient reason for this is that the Virgin is invoked 
to pour out her blessings on the Spanish vine- 
yards ! 




CHAPTER XIV. 

GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 

The throne of Morocco has been long hereditary 
in a family of the Sharifs of Fileli, as the inhabi- 
tants of Tafilet are called. But it is hereditary 
in a more extended sense than we understand 
that term. The reigning sultan may choose his 
successor, as indeed he generally does ; but not only 
the son, but the brother, uncle, or nephew of the 
sovereign may claim the throne, success depend- 
ing on the claimant's popularity, and this in turn 
on his wealth or the power of disposing of wealth. 
Thus a new sultan is almost always necessitated 
to squander his predecessor's hoarded treasure. 

The title to the throne is, it is considered, 
established when the sultan has been proclaimed 
as such at Fez by a council of the priests and 
principal personages of that city. Other com- 
munities then follow the example of the northern 
capital by sending written acts of submission to 
the new order of things. But such distant and 
important centres as Morocco, Tafilet, and Tero- 

r 2 



244 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



dant too often resist the decision of the Fez 
assembly, and the country becomes plnnged in 
civil strife. 

The late Sidi Mohammed Abderahman (our Lord 
Mohammed, son of Abderahman,) was the thir- 
teenth sultan of the Fileli dynasty, and the thirty- 
fourth lineal descendant of Ali, uncle and son-in- 
law of the prophet. He died September 17th, 
1873, and was succeeded by his son Mulley Hassan, 
who to the present hour has been engaged in 
establishing his right to the throne by the sword. 

The sultan of Morocco is the recognized head 
of the Mohammedans of the west. But his tem- 
poral recognition is limited by his power of en- 
forcing it. A very large proportion of the country 
nominally embraced within the Empire, including 
nearly all the Atlas mountains and the province 
of Sus, is either almost or altogether independent 
of his authority. 

We have little to say about the Court of 
Morocco, as we had no opportunity of visiting 
it. The sultan gives audience while on horse- 
back ; the persons presented to him standing at 
a respectful distance. There are some curious 
points of court etiquette, as, for instance, the word 
death must never be spoken, or the subject 
referred to in the sultan's presence ; still more 
curious is the objection to the word five. Every 
one must scrupulously abstain from uttering it 
in the sultan's hearing ; it is also considered to be 



GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 245 

a mark of ill-breeding to mention the objection- 
able word in the presence of any superior. To 
avoid doing so, the Moors say " four and one." 
The word nine is also objected to. We have 
spoken elsewhere of the cabalistic power attributed 
to five fingers rudely painted on doors, tomb- 
stones, &c. 

The sultan resides alternately, for two or three 
years at a time, in Fez the northern, and in 
Morocco the southern capital. Thrice a day, 
with the exception of Friday, the Mussulman 
sabbath, the vizir or prime minister, secretaries, 
and other high functionaries, meet at the palace. 
All the affairs of state are then inquired into, and 
decided upon by the vizir in the sultan's name. 
The power of this minister, acting for the sultan, 
is apparently absolute ; for in the councils held 
the inferior ministers offer no opinion unless 
invited to do so; their functions being to exe- 
cute decrees and carry out, with blind and passive 
obedience, the orders they receive. But although 
the sultan's rule thus appears to be absolute, it 
is scarcely so in fact, as the ministers he chooses 
commonly obtain a share of power sufficient to 
control the source from which it is derived. 

Besides these ministers at court, there is a 
minister for foreign affairs who lives at Tangier. 
He represents the sultan's government in deal- 
ing with the various representatives of foreign 
governments, all of whom reside in that town. 



246 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOOES. 



There is also a commissioner whose duty it 
is to visit, at stated times, the various ports, 
and there take cognizance of all commercial dis- 
putes between Europeans and natives. Next in 
rank to the officials who form the supreme govern- 
ment, follow the governors of provinces. 

In many instances these men hold their posts 
by hereditary descent. But their tenure of power 
is, nevertheless, entirely at the will of the sultan. 
Whenever the tribute-money of a province is not 
considered sufficient, its unhappy governor is 
ordered to court. If his explanations relative to 
the presumed deficit are not considered to be 
satisfactory, he is imprisoned, and perhaps tor- 
tured, to force him to give up his concealed wealth. 
Meantime, his son or some near relative is ap- 
pointed to govern in his place ; and if money is 
not soon forthcoming it fares hard with the 
wretched prisoner, if, indeed, he is permitted to 
survive. 

The governors of towns hold a lower position. 
They are generally chosen from the military class, 
and their pay is only nominal. They extract as 
much as they can out of the citizens, and are also 
expected to make presents to the sultan. If these 
fail to be made, the governors are soon put out of 
office. 

The sheiks act under the governors of provinces, 
and collect the taxes from the people, whom they 
screw as much as possible. In fact the whole 



GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 247 

system of collecting the public revenue brings 
forcibly to mind the nursery ditty about the " dog 
that worried the cat, that worried the rat," &c, &c. 
There are fixed imposts, but under various pre- 
texts their scale is habitually set aside. Fines 
are levied at discretion, and under all sorts of 
pretences. If a quarrel arises and blood is shed, 
the aggressors are sometimes deprived of half their 
property for having broken the peace. If a 
robbery is committed, the whole douar is fined 
double the amount plundered, one half of which 
is given to the person who has been robbed and 
the other half to the bashaw of the province. It 
must, however, be admittted that these exactions 
have their utilitarian aspect, that of tending to 
the security of life and property in those wild 
regions. 

The sources of revenue are briefly as follows : — 
A tax of ten per cent, on corn and agricultural 
produce in general, and two per cent, on all 
domestic animals; the tax on shebbel, the fish 
which abounds in the rivers, the monopoly of 
tobacco and hashish, and the poll-tax on the Jews. 
A duty of ten per cent, is also levied on all goods 
exported and imported. The gate duty is a tax 
levied on every camel-load of goods which enters 
any city or town. 

Moreover, the sultan is the legal claimant of 
all his subjects who die without heirs. To this 
must be added the large amount received as tribute 



248 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



or presents, a point already referred to. Every 
man who holds a considerable office is liable to be 
supplanted by the intrigues of others. The only 
safeguard lies in the frequency and extent of the 
additions made voluntarily to the imperial coffers. 

The provincial governors have the law very 
much in their own hands. Nominally the sultan 
retains the power of life and death ; but practically 
this restriction is a dead letter. For though a 
governor cannot order decapitation, it is in his 
power to have as many strokes of the stick or 
leather thong inflicted as he thinks proper. There 
are frequently cases of persons who by this method 
are legally executed. Situated in most instances 
at a distance from the central government, these 
arbitrary rulers indulge the promptings of revenge 
and cruelty with perfect impunity. What is re- 
quired of them by the sultan are ample contribu- 
tions to his treasury, and provided these are made 
their acts are not scrutinized. 

Certain laws are, however, well defined and 
rigorously enforced. One of these is the lex talio- 
nis, that which exacts an eye for an eye, a tooth 
for a tooth, a life for a life, unless the bodily injury 
to the person, or his death is expiated by the pay- 
ment of a fine to the nearest of kin. Instances 
have occurred in which Europeans have become 
involved in the action of this law. Many years 
ago, Mr. Leyton, an English merchant residing at 
Mogadoi% was accused by an old mendicant of 



GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 249 

having knocked out two of her teeth by striking 
her with his whip while out riding. Although she 
was known to be toothless, her complaint made so 
much noise in the town that the governor before 
whom it was brought was obliged to report it 
to the reigning sultan, for Mr. Leyton steadily 
refused to pay any compensation. In consequence 
of this, the sultan, by the hand of one of his 
ministers, wrote and requested him to yield ; but 
not succeeding, the merchant was summoned to 
Morocco. Mr. Leyton obeyed, but on arriving 
there he still obstinately refused to pay any fine. 
Thereupon popular clamour increased to such a 
degree that, as a matter of state policy, a penalty 
had to be enforced, and Mr. Leyton submitted to 
the extraction of two of his teeth. But the in- 
justice of his case was tacitly acknowledged, for 
on his return to Mogador he was, by order of the 
sultan, presented with two shiploads of grain. 

A. few years ago the following result of the law 
of blood occurred at Mogador. A young man 
killed his brother under circumstances admitting 
of great palliation in Moorish eyes. The step- 
sister of the deceased, as next of kin, refused every 
offer of compensation, and demanded the life of 
her relative, as she was entitled to by the pre- 
cepts of the Koran. Her relatives and friends 
made their entreaties in vain. The public autho- 
rities threw every possible obstacle in the way 
to prevent the accomplishment of this diabolical 



250 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



purpose. Years passed away, and yet the blood- 
thirsty, vindictive woman did not relent. At last 
she made her way to the presence of the sultan, 
and he, in accordance with the law, but with re- 
luctance, granted her request. The order went 
forth, and the unhappy man was seized and 
executed. The woman was present at the execu- 
tion, and marked her triumph by dancing before 
her victim. According to a late treaty, Europeans 
are exempted from the operation of the law now 
described. 1 

The Koran is the source of all Mohammedan law. 
It is therefore hopeless to expect reforms so long 
as the law is administered by true believers. In 
this lies one great obstacle to national progress. 
A system of jurisprudence adapted to the life and 
habits of the wild tribes of Arabia in the sixth 
century is still rigidly adhered to. Yet owing to 
the small advance made in that long interval of 
time, and considering how closely the modern 
Arab resembles his ancestor in past ages, the result, 

1 I cannot personally complain of the exactions of the Moors 
on account of a bodily injury. It is true the one in question 
was slight, slighter perhaps in the estimation of the man in- 
jured than in my own. When shooting in the neighbourhood 
of Saffi, in company with Mr. Hunot, some shot glanced off 
the ground and struck a Moor who was riding in front. Two 
of the grains penetrated the lower lip. The wounds bled freely, 
yet the man took the matter good-humouredly, and was con- 
tent to accept a dollar in full acquittance of all claims, present 
or to come. 



GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 251 

on the whole, is not so unfavourable as might be 
expected. Let us look at home for what sacerdo- 
tal law might be among ourselves if enforced to 
the letter. Who, for instance, are the strongest 
and most persistent advocates of capital punish- 
ment, or who most desire to avenge blood by 
blood ? It is doing the clergy no wrong when we 
say that they, as a body, maintain the enforce- 
ment of the Mosaic law. In like manner the 
followers of Mohammed can see no necessity for 
altering the law of capital punishment, so as to fit 
it to the visible results of lapse of time and 
change of circumstances. Thus, as usual, dogma 
and progress are unalterably opposed. 

In the application of their savage law to the 
punishment of crime, the Moors act consistently. 
Does it ever occur to the advocates of capital 
punishment that, if life is to be taken for life, by 
the same reasoning, and as a logical sequence, an 
eye should be blinded for the malicious destruction 
of an eye, or, in like manner, a limb be amputated 
for a limb ? yet from such barbarities even the 
advocates of the scaffold would recoil. 

The sanctuary, zaouia, is an extraordinary insti- 
tution which, in bygone days, had its counterpart 
among ourselves. In Morocco a refuge of this 
character is to be found almost everywhere within 
easy reach. In some cases sanctuaries are in- 
cluded in cities ; in others, they form a part of 
large spaces outside the walls, yet adjoining them, 



252 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



as in the case of Saffi, and in the rural districts 
numerous saint-houses serve, a like purpose. Yet, 
whatever be the size, description, or situation of. 
the privileged place, the criminal who gains its pre- 
cincts is, for a time, perfectly safe. The executive 
has no power therein ; and the culprit, while there, 
is subject solely to its distinctive laws and rules. 

If a man who has committed murder takes 
sanctuary, he is unmolested so long as the nego- 
tiations between his friends and the prosecutor, 
who is always the next of kiu, continue. But if 
the blood-money offered in recompense be consi- 
dered insufficient, or if the friends of the murdered 
man will not accept it, a summary procedure is 
adopted. The prosecutor, exercising a right, de- 
mands that guards be placed over the criminal, and 
by these he is prevented from obtaining food or 
drink. A few days of such discipline necessitates 
the culprit to go outside the boundary, and there 
he is at once arrested. 

In so despotic a country as Morocco sanctuaries 
serve a useful purpose in affording leisure for the 
investigation of crimes. The protection they 
afford prevents hasty judgments and summary 
executions in numerous instances in which justice 
would be outraged. On the other hand, their 
powers are abused by the prevalent bribery and 
corruption. 

Akin to the barbarous law of like for like, is 
that which punishes the bodily member for the 



GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 253 

crime of which it has been the instrument. Thus 
a common punishment for theft is the loss of the 
right hand. For this reason it is not uncommon 
to see one-handed Moors. The hand is chopped 
off at the wrist, and the bleeding stump plunged 
into boiling pitch to arrest bleeding. Prior to 
the discovery by the famous surgeon, Ambrose 
Pare, of tying arteries after amputation, this was 
the method followed in Europe. 

A severe punishment, on the same principle, is 
sometimes inflicted for libel. The lips and mouth 
of the offender are rubbed with capsicum pods, 
until an almost unsupportable smarting, followed 
by inflammation, is produced. We knew a Moor 
at Mogador who was accused of speaking ill of a 
governor who lived in the neighbourhood. He 
was enticed some distance outside the town and 
there beset by his pretended friends, who so 
effectually peppered him that the wretched man 
suffered from the effects for several weeks. 

Another instance of this kind of punishment 
occurred recently at Saffi. Two women who 
enjoyed a reputation as vocalists, sang, at the 
house of an official personage, what might be 
called a topical song, in which the propensi- 
ties of certain people in power were referred to. 
Another official who was present took offence at 
some expressions it contained. Concealing his 
anger, he in turn invited the women to his house, 
and requested them to repeat the song. They 



254 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



complied, with the result that they were at 
once seized, imprisoned, and bastinadoed. In 
addition, they were rubbed with capsicum pods 
as already described, from the effects of which 
atrocious acts the poor creatures suffered fright- 
fully. 

But the bastinado is the most common of all 
punishments. Every governor and every kadi 
has the power to order an unliniited number of 
stripes. The Turk says, " The stick is the gift 
of Heaven;" and in this appreciation of its merits 
the Moor accords entirely with him. No rank, 
not even that of governor of a province, gives 
exemption, if the sultan orders the infliction. 
The punishment is so common as to leave no 
sense of degradation. The instrument in general 
use, and which is attached by a loop to the wrist 
of the operator, is a doubled thong of twisted 
leather, about three feet long, and nearly as thick 
as the little finger. The culprit, placed face 
downwards on the ground, is held securely by 
four men, while the blows are inflicted on the 
back. When women are bastinadoed they are 
made to sit in a basket out of which the feet 
project. These are secured to a pole, and the 
soles receive the stripes. The punishment to 
either sex is very severe ; but as there is no evil 
without some compensation, it is seriously affirmed 
in Morocco that the bastinado has a fattening 
effect ; and that cases have been known of wretches 



GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 255 



who, from having been previously thin, became 
very stout soon afterwards. Several instances 
were mentioned to us in which a severe appli- 
cation of the bastinado had been followed by 
obesity. One remarkable case was that of a 
person of note known to us in the city of Morocco. 
From a lean man he became, soon after the 
infliction of this punishment, very stout. The 
bastinado is given not only as a punishment for 
crime, but as a means of extorting confession of 
guilt. 

For the same purpose, as also for extracting 
money, an infamous mode of torture is sometimes 
employed. It consists in placing the person in a 
box, called, facetiously, the " wooden jelabeer," or 
cloak. It is only large enough to receive the 
prisoner in a sitting posture, and the four sides 
being stuck all over with sharp nails, all rest is 
effectually prevented. Persons have been sub- 
mitted for months to this cruel ordeal, and in 
some instances it has been continued until release 
has only come through death. 

Another torture, often employed, is that of 
keeping a man chained against a wall by means 
of an iron collar round his neck; and his arms 
being secured in an extended position, he is 
obliged to stand on tiptoe to avoid strangulation. 
Indeed, the variety and cruelty of the tortures 
appear to be solely limited by the ingenuity of the 
torturers ; and the unhappy ex-governors of pro- 



256 



MOROCCO AND THE . MOORS, 



vinces who have amassed wealth are, as already 
said, frequent victims. 

It is almost impossible to exaggerate the horrors 
of a Moorish prison. Their condition, in several 
instances, has been already described. In some 
cases they are dungeons excavated deeply in the 
earth; in others, vaulted spaces above ground. 
But in every instance they are unventilated, dark, 
and most dismal chambers ; devoid of needful 
accommodation, and, consequently, reeking with 
fetid odours. In some of them several hundred 
persons are confined together. They are heavily 
chained, and sleep on mats spread on the floor. 
The mortality in these prisons must be enormous. 
It is only surprising that prisoners and keepers 
are not invariably swept off together, and at once, 
by that fatal sickness known as jail fever, once 
so prevalent in this country, 2 and here, as in 
Morocco, the natural result of over-crowding, 
stagnant filth, and need of ventilation. 

Prison life has also been described while refer- 
ring to the prisons in the city of Morocco. Many 
of the prisoners are supported by alms. Happily 
the Mohammedan religion inculcates charity, not 

2 This description of the Moorish prisons applies closely to 
those of England when, in 1774, the illustrious John Howard 
had his attention directed thereto. Their condition was, if 
possible, even worse during the reigns of Charles II. and 
James II., when the persecution of nonconformists of all 
denominations was at its height. 



GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 257 

only as a commendable virtue but as necessary 
for salvation. 

We were told by an English merchant that he 
once had a Moor imprisoned for debt. At the end 
of two months he visited him in prison, and was 
then so shocked at the miserable state of the 
wretch, who was not only emaciated, but covered 
with vermin, that he went immediately to the 
governor and obtained the prisoner's discharge. 
Yet, true to the Moorish character, the man neither 
thanked the merchant nor paid the debt. 

The shraa, or Mohammedan civil law, is adminis- 
tered by the kadies, assisted by the adools, who 
act as attorneys and public notaries. This shraa 
is derived from the Koran, and under it Europeans 
who have legal disputes with Moors are placed at 
a great disadvantage. The pleadings are conducted 
in writing, and certain fees are paid to officials. 
But no secret is made of the fact that sums of 
money, in proportion to the magnitude of the case, 
are bestowed on the kadies in order to influence 
their decisions. In a Moorish law-suit the 
judicious use of a long purse is more influential in 
obtaining a desired verdict than the truth or 
justice of the cause. 

In civil suits, in which Europeans are concerned, 
various difficulties arise. For, in addition to the 
irreconcileable hatred entertained against them, 
Christians are generally debarred from bribing the 
kadies, through fear of exposure. To be known 

s 



258 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



to have taken a bribe from a Kaffir would involve 
any kadi in certain ruin. Thus, it happens, that 
being paid by one side only, he is advocate as well 
as judge ; and, more frequently than not, he inter- 
feres in the drawing out of the documents, so as 
to make it impossible for the European to prove 
his case. Moreover, while in the adool, or notarial 
evidence, every facility is afforded to the believer, 
all sorts of restrictive rules are enforced in the 
case of Europeans. 

What justice can be looked for in a country 
in which, with a single exception, that of the 
administrator of customs, no official, whether 
he be judicial or administrative, is paid, except 
it may be in a nominal way, by the state ? for the 
judges must be corrupt, and the governors and 
other people in authority speculative and extor- 
tionate, in order to exist. 

Although the Jews are subject to the general 
laws of the country, they are allowed to settle their 
disputes according to their own shraa, or civil law, 
which accords with the Mosaic law. In this, they 
possess a great advantage; for, according to 
Mohammedan law, neither Christian nor Jew has, 
in legal matters, any locus standi. In taking 
evidence their oath is not received, and the pre- 
sumption is always in favour of the true believer. 
The Jewish civil law is administered by the priests, 
acting in concert with the elders of the community. 
These find means to execute their decisions by 



GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 259 

threatening excommunication and other modes of 
degradation. 

The day is gone by for ever when the mere lust 
of conquest, or greed for territorial empire can, as 
as regards England, cause uneasiness to the 
Moorish government. At one time, it is certain, 
France contemplated adding Morocco to her ad- 
jacent Algerian possessions. But the difficulties 
which would attend conquest, even if realized, first 
from the nature of the country, and next from the 
fierce fanaticism of the people, presented obstacles 
before which the ruler of France prudently recoiled. 
Spain would have gladly revived the glories of a 
past time, had that been possible, when she under- 
took to punish some affronts offered to her flag, 
with results hardly satisfactory. In that war the 
Moors made the fatal mistake of meeting the 
Spaniards on an open field. Whenever this 
occurred, the precipitous valour of horse and foot 
was expended in vain against the serried ranks of 
the foe. The error of the Moors lay in the 
traditionary dash of cavalry against large masses 
of infantry, accompanied by wild cries and wilder 
firing. Their fire-arms were imperfect, and their 
want of artillery was another great cause of defeat. 
In relation to warfare, as in all else, the Moors 
have much to learn. They need modern weapons, 
and, still more, instruction, drill, and discipline. 
They have many qualities which go far towards 
making good soldiers ; and if their cavalry could 

s 2 



260 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



be regarded and used as mounted riflemen a force 
of immense value, on account of its rapid move- 
ments, would be the result. In case of invasion, 
every ridge, hill, and defile with which the roads 
leading from the coast to the interior are flanked, 
could be lined by an array of men unseen by an 
advancing foe, till too late. In such case the result 
would not be favourable to the invaders. This, at 
least, is our conviction, after seeing much of a 
country admirably fitted by nature for a guerilla 
method of warfare. The material, as regards men, 
is excellent. They are patient, obedient, easily 
roused by religious enthusiasm, fond of fighting, 
and inured to hardship. But to insure the 
integrity and permanence of the Moorish empire, 
internal reforms, such as those connected with 
the levying taxes, are greatly needed. Were 
these carried out, productive industry would be 
encouraged instead of discouraged as at present. 
No race is more desirous of possessing property 
than this. But the numerous examples of calami- 
ties resulting from possession of wealth beget 
indifference to industry. Under a wiser and 
healthier system of taxation, the immense re- 
sources of the country would be speedily developed 
and population increased. And the natural results 
of these improvements would soon be shown in 
the returns to the Imperial exchequer. 

Other reforms would be requisite, and might 
be expected to follow. The government should 



GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 261 

abandon its policy of isolation, and, like the 
Japanese, boldly enter the comity of nations. 
Intercourse with the outer world, although at- 
tended by some drawbacks, would introduce new 
ideas ; and the comforts and decencies of life 
would be accepted and regarded. If in addition 
to this the hot zeal of religion could be tempered 
by consideration for the temporal welfare of the 
people, even if to no greater extent than that 
which has been introduced into the governing policy 
of Turkey, the whole aspect of Moorish society 
would rapidly undergo a most beneficial change. 
The languishing, but not yet stamped-out genius 
of the Moor, of which traces are still visible in 
many a ruin in his own country, and still more 
frequently in that neighbouring land which he so 
long held against all comers, would revive. Trade 
would rapidly increase on the removal of those 
restrictions by which it is at present oppressed, 
and the wealth of the people would augment 
proportionately. 

These combined reforms would speedily render 
Morocco the strongest of existing Moslem states 
as regards the possibility of foreign invasion. 
For, beside those internal features of the country 
already mentioned, the great extent of coast 
without harbours, and the dangerous surf which 
fringes the land, form a natural barrier against 
the landing of troops. Under such physical 
conditions no navy would be required for coast 



262 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



service, while such pier and harbour works as 
the development of trade might demand could 
be effectually fortified. 

The isolated position of Morocco is another 
great feature in its favour. Its rugged hills and 
fertile plains, except in themselves, have no value 
to the invader. Whenever these hills and plains 
have been traversed, the arid desert in some 
direction or another stops the way. The country 
thus can never be a coveted highway to lands 
more favoured, regarding which the cupidity 
of nations might be excited, and it possesses no 
city which by its position might form the key to 
empire. Compact, self-contained, with ample 
space for development into a first-class power, 
Morocco has nothing to lose, or to dread from 
the stranger, but everything to gain. 

The army of Morocco is far from contemptible. 
As regards the number and quality of the men 
which form it something has been already said. 
It consists of the regular troops, almagazen, or the 
sultan's soldiers, and the soldiers of the bashaws, 
or militia. 

The almagazen are reckoned at about 16,000 
men, of which half are cavalry. These troops 
are armed and clothed at the sultan's expense, 
and, when on service, receive as pay about six- 
pence a day. When not actively employed, this 
stipend falls to about eight shillings a month. 
Beside this pay they receive many favours at the 



GOVERNMENT, LAW, AND MILITARY POWER. 263 

band of the sovereign, who counts especially on 
their fidelity. Whenever Europeans travel in 
Morocco, they are always accompanied by an 
escort drawn from these troops by the consul of 
the port at which the stranger has disembarked, 
or at which he has otherwise arrived. The escort 
is responsible for the safety of its charge, and, 
as previously explained, this makes travelling alone 
possible. For these services the soldiers are well 
paid by their employers. The late sultan attempted 
the organization of a body of troops on the 
European model. Four thousand men were drilled 
and equipped by the aid of European officers ; 
but the system was so entirely opposed to the 
traditions and habits of the people, that the plan 
did not succeed. 

The inhabitants of all large towns, wdth the 
exception of Jews and slaves, and capable of 
bearing arms, are enrolled under the standard of 
their respective governors. These troops form 
the militia, or national guard, and their ordinary 
duties are confined to their own districts. It 
is thus easy to conceive that when these local 
troops in time of war are mobilized a very 
considerable force can be thrown into the field. 
And notwithstanding all the disadvantages of 
want of discipline, efficient arms, and artillery, the 
Moors are capable of stout resistance, as the 
events of the short Spanish war of 1859-1860 
proved sufficiently. That campaign cost the 



264 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



Spaniards nearly three millions sterling, and, at 
the lowest estimate, the lives of 15,000 men from 
loss in battle and disease. Moreover, after the 
fall of Tetuan, an event which terminated the war, 
it was found that to make that town the base of 
future operations, and to hold the small addition 
of territory acquired, it would require the presence 
in Morocco of 20,000 men. From such heavy 
responsibility Spain wisely withdrew. She con- 
tented herself with the exaction of a large sum 
towards payment of the expenses of the war. To 
raise this, a loan was contracted in England, 
since which time the interest thereon has been 
punctually paid by the sultan's government. 

A good many of the artillerymen stationed in 
the batteries throughout the country are Spanish 
renegades. 

The Moorish navy, which in former years was 
respectable in the number and equipment of its 
vessels, has now entirely disappeared. A few 
brigs and gun-boats lie rotting at Salee, where 
the principal dockyard and arsenal were situated. 
But these relics of a maritime power, which no 
longer exist, are fast yielding to decay. 



CHAPTER XV. 



EDUCATION — -RELIGION — SUPERSTITIONS — THE 
HEALING ART. 

Education, such as it is amongst the Moors, belongs 
almost exclusively to the male sex. It is very 
rare to meet a woman who can even read. 

Boys are sent to school very early, and by a 
liberal allowance of the stick are forced to learn 
the Koran by heart, and to write a little. The 
thaleb, or schoolmaster, receives a mozouna, less 
than a halfpenny, every Thursday ; and two okeas, 
or threepence a month, besides, from each pupil. 
Presents of corn or fowls are also usually given 
by the parents. When a certain progress has 
been made, the pupil is mounted on a horse, led 
in triumph through the streets, and proclaimed 
Bachelor of the Koran. If he desires further in- 
struction he is admitted into a mdersa, or college, 
where he learns the elements of arithmetic and 
geometry, of history, and the theology of Sidi 
Khalil. When he has passed some years in the 
mdersa, he can go out thaleb, a man of letters ; 



266 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



after this lie may become addel, a lawyer ; then 
fekhy, doctor ; then alem, savant ; and finally he 
becomes qualified for Jcadi, judge in matters civil 
and ecclesiastical. 

There can be no doubt that some of the Moors 
are men of learning; but it is learning of the 
dogmatic kind, derived almost entirely from the 
Koran. It is this which stops the way of any 
real progress. 

The hours of prayer are announced by the 
mouddhen (muezzin) from the towers of the 
mosques in the following order : — 

1. Adhan es sebah — About three o'clock a.m. 

2. El Foojar — At dawn. 

3. El Oualy — At noon. 

4. Dohoor — An hour and a half after noon. 

5. El Asser — From a quarter to three to a 

quarter past three p.m., according to the 
season. 

6. El Mogreeb — At sunset. 

7. El Asha — An hour and a half after sunset. 

A few of the wealthy Moors possess clocks and 
watches, but they are so accustomed to the divi- 
sion of time provided by the mosques as to 
regard them as superfluities, and rather as 
playthings than for use. From el asha, an hour 
and a half after sunset, till el adhan, about an 
hour before sunrise, the inhabitants in the city of 
Morocco and other places are 'required to keep 



EDUCATION, RELIGION, SUPERSTITIONS, ETC. 267 

within their homes under pain of imprisonment 
by the guards of the Moul el Dhoour. 

It is not our purpose to dwell upon ordinary 
matters of religion. The sultan is the head of the 
Moorish Church, which differs little in its rites from 
that of other Moslem countries. But what may be 
called the eccentricities of Mohammedanism, or 
the extraordinary ceremonies and customs of par- 
ticular sects, such as those of the howling der- 
vishes, are worthy of notice. These we had seen 
in our travels in Syria and Asia Minor; but in 
Morocco, as it appeared to us, the vagaries of 
religious zeal reach their climax. 

Foremost among these singular religious bodies 
is the strange sect known as the Isowa. Its 
members are adherents to the faith of a saint 
named Ben Isa, whose tomb is at Fez. This holy 
man, in order to prove his saintship, is said to 
have cast himself from the top of a high tower, 
and to have fallen without injury. 

His saintship thus attested, his followers pro- 
fess to be equally invulnerable to physical injury. 
They assert that snakes, scorpions, and all other 
venomous creatures cannot injure them, and that 
they therefore handle them with impunity. They 
also make it appear that they can eat and handle 
articles on fire, and in these kind of tricks they 
are very expert. 

On a certain day in the year they meet early in 
the morning, at the sanctuary of such town as 



268 



MOfiOCCO AND THE MOOES, 



they inhabit. Here a fire is lighted, and the pecu- 
liar orgies of their festival commence. Taking 
hold of each other's hands, and rapidly tossing 
their heads backwards and forwards, they dance 
round the fire with wild shouts and increasing 1 
pace. It is said that the chief man among them 
throws into the fire a dried herb, the fumes of 
which have an intoxicating effect. If this be so, 
the herb must be hemp, from which hashish is 
prepared. But it seems doubtful that any marked 
effect could be thus produced in the open air; 
it is far more probable that religious frenzy is 
answerable for what soon follows. While the 
mad dance is still proceeding, a sudden rush 
is made from the sanctuary, and the dancers, 
like men delirious, speed away to a place where 
live goats are tethered in readiness. At sight 
of these animals the fury of the savage and excited 
crowd reaches its height. In a few minutes the 
wretched animals are cut, or rather torn to pieces, 
and an orgy takes place over the raw and quiver- 
ing flesh. 

When they seem satiated, the Emkaddim, who is 
generally on horseback, and carries a long stick, 
forms a sort of procession, preceded by wild music, 
if such discordant sounds will bear the name. 
Words can do no justice to the frightful scene 
which now ensues. The naked savages — for on 
these occasions a scanty piece of cotton is all their 
clothing — with their long black hair, ordinarily 



EDUCATION, RELIGION, SUPERSTITIONS, ETC. 269 

worn in plaits, tossed about by the rapid to-and- 
fro movements of the head, with faces and hands 
reeking with blood, and uttering loud cries re- 
sembling the bleating of goats, again enter the 
town. The place is now at their mercy, and the 
people avoid them as much as possible by shutting 
themselves up in their houses. A Christian or a 
Jew would run great risk of losing his life if either 
were found in the street. Goats are pushed out 
from the doors, and these the fanatics tear imme- 
diately to pieces with their hands, and then dispute 
over the morsels of bleeding flesh, as though they 
were ravenous wolves instead of men. Snakes are 
also thrown to them as tests of their divine frenzy, 
and these share the fate of the goats. Sometimes 
a luckless dog, straying as dogs will stray in a 
tumult, is seized on. Then the laymen, should 
any be at hand, will try to prevent the desecra- 
tion of pious mouths. But the fanatics sometimes 
prevail, and the unclean animal, abhorred by the 
mussulman, is torn in pieces and devoured, or 
pretended to be devoured, with indiscriminating 
rage. 

Having traversed the principal streets of the 
town, it is the practice with the Isowa to leave 
it by a gate opposite to that at which they entered. 
They are met at a short distance from the walls 
by a body of their country brethren. Here the 
previous orgies are renewed, and here we must 
leave them. 



270 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



On the day succeeding the Isowa saturnalia 
the procession of another sect, that of the Ham- 
matchas, takes place. The doings of these gentry, 
if not as dangerous to others as those of the 
Isowa, are far more dangerous to themselves. 
Self-inflicted bodily injuries seem, in fact, the 
main object held in view. We should not, per- 
haps, criticize these barbarities too closely while 
self -discipline is the practice of a purer faith. 
But Mr. Whalley himself would stand aghast at 
the list of implements carried and used against 
themselves by the fanatic Hammatchas. These 
consist of choppers, clubs thickly studded with 
large nails, small cannon balls, and iron rings 
which have five or six short thick sticks attached 
by one end to the ring. With these instruments 
they literally cut and thrash themselves as they 
walk along till they are covered with blood. 
They will then, by way of change, throw the 
cannon balls into the air, so that they come down 
upon their heads. Occasionally they are for a 
time completely stunned by this proceeding ; but 
on recovering they will again join the procession. 
Sometimes, however, fatal results follow. Lately, 
at Safn, a man died speedily after an injury of 
the kind. 

These sects are commonly recruited from the 
lowest classes. It is not uncommon in a family 
more than usually ignorant and fanatic to find one 
son brought up an Isowa, another an Hammatcha ; 



EDUCATION, RELIGION, SUPERSTITIONS, ETC. 271 

while a third may belong to the sect of the Dur- 
kouas. 

The rites and processions just described have 
an allegorical meaning. The naked howling 
savages are intended to represent the state of 
human society before the civilizing influence of 
Mohammedanism was brought to bear upon it. 
The man on horseback, who is always very well 
dressed, and sedate in his conduct, typifies the 
proprieties of the present state of things. But 
the processions are now less numerously attended 
than formerly, as the late sultan discouraged them. 
One of the functions of the Isowa consists in the 
cure of the sick ; and, in order to effect this, the 
patient lies on his face while his back is trampled 
on by the holy physician. 

The doctrines of Dr. Oumming have their 
counterpart among the Moors. They have a 
current opinion that the end of the world is at 
hand. When in the city of Morocco, we were told 
that this event is to take place in the year 1300 
of the Hegira, a date corresponding with a.d. 
1883. The destruction of the world will, accord- 
ing to the best orthodox views, be preceded by 
wars and tumults, miracles and portents. The 
successful revolt against the powerful governor, 
Ben Doud, was regarded as the first sign of the 
times. 

There is no end to the superstitions of the 
Moors, or rather the people of Morocco ; for the 



272 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



people as "a whole appear to be infected. Witch- 
craft is generally believed in, and its rites are 
largely practised. As might be expected, love- 
charms are in great request. The Moorish priests 
sell them to men and women, and the ingredients 
are as heterogeneous as they are occasionally re- 
pulsive. Sometimes a piece of paper upon which 
the charm is written is soaked in water, which 
is given the victim to drink. Bits of the beloved 
object's clothes, hair, parings of nails, nay even the 
earth he or she has trodden upon, are used in 
various ways for the specific purpose in view. 
But the oddest thing of all, in the way of a charm, 
came under our notice at Mogador. One now 
and then sees a fowl or a pigeon with a little red 
bundle tied to its foot. This puzzled us greatly, 
until on inquiry we found that the bundle contained 
a charm. It is believed that if the charm is kept 
in constant motion by the bird, a corresponding 
ferment is excited in the mind of him or her 
against whom the charm is directed. . This device 
is also employed in order to obtain the friendship 
or assistance of the great — such as governors of 
provinces, or even the sultan himself. 

The bones of dead men pounded, as well as 
other disagreeable things, are administered in 
articles of food. But these are given for the 
purpose of causing injury to the victim. The 
brain of the hyena is another thing used for 
enchantments. Has el Dubbah, applied to a person, 



EDUCATION, RELIGION, SUPERSTITIONS, ETC. 273 

means that he has eaten the head of the hyena, 
and has become silly. 

Written charms, sewn in small squares of silk 
suspended by silken strings are worn as a pro- 
tection against injury. The belief in the evil eye 
prevails in Morocco, as it doe3 in all Eastern 
countries. Bough representations of the human 
hand, which appear to be regarded as a safe- 
guard against witchcraft, are commonly painted 
on the doors of houses, and the same are rudely 
carved on grave-stones. Guardian angels are 
supposed to be numerous ; their protective powers 
extending not only to men, but even to the gates 
of towns and cities. 

When a newly-built house is first inhabited, 
barley-meal is mixed with oil, and portions of 
the mass are thrown into the four corners of 
the building, to propitiate the underground neigh- 
bours — in other words, the demons — with whom 
the residents have to come in contact. When 
a person falls by accident, it is thought proper 
to pour out a libation of oil on the spot to satisfy 
the demons. Iron is considered a great protec- 
tion against demons. When a person is ill in bed 
it is usual to put a knife or a dagger under his 
pillow ; and before the reason for the custom was 
explained to us, we had been puzzled by it when 
requested to prescribe for a patient. 

It has been already said that the Jews are 
equally superstitious with the Moors ; and some 

T 



274 



MOKOCCO AND THE MOORS. 



of the current stories are of such recent date, and 
are told so circumstantially, that they are half 
believed by some of the Europeans. Take the 
following one, which has about it a smack of a tale 
from the " Arabian Nights." 

About six months before our visit a Jew of Wad- 
noon, well known to some of our English friends, 
happened to be at Mogador, and lodged in the 
house of one Moses Bassoon. A Moorish priest 
persuaded Moses to pay him a sum of money 
for a certain charm by means of which a fortune 
might be made within twelve months. In the 
meanwhile, in order to insure the desired result, 
the priest enjoined him not to cut his hair, and 
to strictly attend to other details. In a short 
time Moses received a box from the priest, in 
which, apparently, were a number of pearls, 
emeralds, and other precious stones. These 
were offered for sale to the Wadnoon Jew, 
and after the usual careful examination they 
were bought for 6001. For greater security, the 
purchaser took the box of gems at once to Wad- 
noon, intending to sell them to the sheik; but 
when the box was opened in the sheik's presence 
it was found to be full of common pebbles instead 
of gems. The Jew returned to Mogador in great 
distress, only to be assured that when sold the 
gems were genuine. The sheik of Wadnoon 
represented the case to the Governor of Mogador, 
adding that he would stop the traffic between the 



EDUCATION, RELIGION, SUPERSTITIONS, ETC. 275 

two places, and prevent all debts from being paid 
by his people, unless justice were done. Subsequent 
investigation proved that the deception was caused 
by the charms of the Moorish priest. He was 
accordingly thrown into prison ; but on the night 
of his arrest the Jew who bought the jewels was 
heard to scream. To account for this he declared 
that he had received a severe flogging from two 
black slaves who appeared in his closed room. This 
flogging was repeated on the two following nights, 
and then the sufferer made such representations 
to the Governor of Mogador as to lead to the 
release of the Moorish priest. After this the 
Jew was not molested, but his 6001. were irre- 
coverably lost ; while his co-religionist, who had 
made the nefarious compact with the priest, was, 
according to its terms, so much a richer man 
within a given time. 

Among superstitions which affect the sovereign 
is the following. If he has occasion to pass 
through certain parts of his dominions he always 
walks. It is believed that his death would soon 
follow if he attempted to ride. 

There are superstitions about salt in Morocco 
as there are in Europe. Salt is believed to be a 
safeguard against evil spirits, and is carried in the 
hand with that view when people have to go in 
the dark from one room to another. 

Another strange instance of superstition oc- 
curred among the Moors while we were at Mogador. 

t 2 



276 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



It was the more remarkable for the reason that an 
analogous circumstance had occurred in London 
no great while previously. A house in Lambeth 
was alleged to have been pelted with stones from 
an invisible source, and a statement of this going 
the round of the newspapers caused great excite- 
ment in certain quarters. In this case all the 
residents in Mogador heard of their swarthy fellow 
townsman's misfortune and his persecution by 
malignant spirits. In company with our friend, 
Mr. Brauer, who knew the owner well, we visited 
the haunted premises. The house was situated in 
a blind lane, or cul-de-sac, in a quarter of the town 
called the Medina. It consisted of three rooms 
on the ground floor opening on a small patio, and 
one small first-floor room. In one corner of the 
patio was a heap of peccant stones which had 
been collected from the patio and the terraced 
roof. The man's story, so far undoubtedly true, 
was that daily and nightly large stones came 
through the air into his premises, to the imminent 
risk of himself and family, which consisted of his 
wife, and a daughter about twelve years old. Mr. 
Brauer, who took a great interest in the Moor, 
assured me that while in the upper room a few 
days previously two stones passed through the 
doorway and struck the opposite wall, and in the 
course of the hour he remained there several other 
stones dropped into the enclosure. The strange 
mendacity of the Moors was apparent. Seeing a 



EDUCATION, RELIGION, SUPERSTITIONS, ETC. 277 

stone that weighed several pounds in the middle 
of the patio, we inquired of the little girl how and 
when it came there, as it had the appearance of 
having been recently detached from some place 
where it had been partially imbedded ; she replied, 
without hesitation, that when engaged, a short 
time before our visit, about something in the patio, 
she observed the stone wriggling to and fro as if 
to loosen itself out of the lower part of the wall 
of the enclosure, and that it then apparently flung 
itself a distance of some yards out of its mortar 
bed into the position it occupied. We took up the 
stone and found that it exactly fitted the cavity 
pointed out in the wall. It must be admitted 
that our attention had not in any way been directed 
to this particular stone, and had we not inquired 
about it its strange story would not have been 
told. The readiness and circumstantial manner 
with which this little fable was put together were, 
therefore, truly amazing. 

The Moor told us that he had brought a thaleb 
or scribe to the house, to write a charm which 
might relieve him of the persecution, but that 
when the scribe commenced the stones came in 
so rapidly that he was obliged to desist. This 
attempt having failed, a holy man who had been 
to Mecca was solicited to visit the place, and he 
had been there the previous evening. The saint 
first directed the rooms to be cleaned ; this done, 
he went through a form of incantation ; next he 



278 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



took a nail and drove it into one of the walls ; 
whereupon, as my informant showed by word and 
action, a hissing noise accompanied each blow of 
the hammer. This, as the holy functionary said, 
was caused by the eyil spirits taking their departure 
under this curious form of ejectment. Since then 
no stones had come into the premises. 

But our Moor's troubles were by no means 
ended. If his daughter was to be trusted, the foun- 
dation stones of his premises were in an unquiet 
state ; and a few days after our visit the rain of 
stones from without was as bad as ever. The 
kaid of the town came in state to witness the pheno- 
menon but could make nothing of it. Finally the 
man was reluctantly obliged to leave the house, 
in building which he had expended what was to 
him a considerable sum. 

This account, given with some detail and exactly 
as things occurred, is placed at the disposal of all 
whom it may concern, to explain as best seems fit 
to them. Spiritualists may claim it as a manifest- 
ation of the powers of the unseen world. For our- 
selves, we believe that the Moor had enemies who 
took this method of persecuting him ; while he, 
honest man, was not loth to supplement his real 
misfortunes by improbable lies, in the detail of 
which he was loyally supported by his family. 
The flat roofs of the Moorish houses are well 
adapted for inflicting the annoyance of missile- 
throwing. Unless we mistake, the Lambeth stone 



EDUCATION, RELIGION, SUPERSTITIONS, ETC. 279 

showers were at length traced to some practical 
jokers living in the neighbourhood of the assailed 
house. 

A very curious chapter might be written on the 
state of medicine among the Moors. The mantle 
of Avicenna or of Rhazes has not fallen on their 
modern representatives. Certain nondescript 
practitioners may be seen squatted in the streets. 
They dispense drugs and practise astrology, for 
this last is regarded as a most useful adjunct to 
the medical art. Most of the drugs in use are 
herbs, which are brought to market by women. 
Of these the greater number are well known and 
in common use in Europe. 1 But in Morocco 
greater faith is probably placed in written charms 
than in the most active drugs. The former are 
given in various diseases and under various cir- 
cumstances, as, for instance, when a person is 
about to undertake a journey or to transact 
business. 

Certain surgical operations are practised, and 
the Moorish doctors even perform the operation 
of couching for cataract. There is a kabyle 
beyond Tafilet which is noted for its oculists. 
One of the applications to the eye is that of the 
doctor's tongue, which is drawn across the organ 
while it is held open. No doubt sand or other 
foreign bodies are thus effectively licked out. The 
application of a red-hot iron — the actual cautery — 
1 Appendix E. 



280 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



is held in high esteem. Cupping is managed by 
means of cuts made with a razor, the wide end of 
a cow's horn is then placed over them, and 
through a hole at the tip the operator draws blood 
by suction. Bleeding from the arm is also 
practised, and among the Jews women are always 
bled in the last month of pregnancy. 

The grossest superstitions are mixed up with 
the Moors' conceptions of the healing art. But of 
this parallel instances might be cited nearer home. 
A few years ago a Moorish woman, who was called 
" Lallah Tasrout," or " Lady of the Stone," made 
a great sensation at Mogador. She was the 
fortunate possessor of a talking stone from which 
she extracted what was better than sermons, 
namely, many valuable secrets, and particularly 
infallible methods of curing diseases, which she 
turned to her own good account. 

The Jewesses of Mogador, by the advice of old 
women, practise the following method of cure for 
certain diseases. They select the outlet of a 
sewer, and throw into the filthy liquid which flows 
from it seven eggs broken up one by one. These 
are well mixed with the sewage. Prayers are 
then offered to demons, and the horrible mixture 
is swallowed seven times. It is difficult to under- 
stand how the patient survives the remedy. If 
ever there was a case in which the cure is worse 
than the disease it is surely to be found in this 
treatment by liquid manure. 



EDUCATION, RELIGION, SUPERSTITIONS, ETC. 281 

Cholera is attributed to evil spirits which gain 
possession of people, and to avoid meeting them 
it is the custom when the disease is prevalent, to 
keep close, when out of doors, as much as possible 
to walls. Tor the same reason sand-hills are 
avoided, as such are considered to be a great 
resort of evil spirits. 

Bezoars, from the Horreh, are held in great 
esteem. Signor Korkos, of the city of Morocco, 
showed me one, the size of a small walnut, for 
which he had paid twelve dollars. It was a very 
smooth, cream-coloured concretion, the interior of 
which showed the mode of formation in concentric 
circles. When used the bezoar is rubbed on a 
stone and the powder thus obtained is swallowed. 
It was stated that it was always necessary that 
the patient who took it should observe strict 
regimen and remain in the house for seven days. 
Bezoars are esteemed as sovereign remedies for 
diseases of the heart, liver, and other internal 
organs, as also for sore eyes, for rheumatism and 
other ailments. 

Gold dust is taken internally when to prevent 
offspring is desirable. Shot is swallowed with 
the same intention, and also scrapings from a 
rhinoceros's horn. 

Ants are given to lethargic people as a remedy, 
on the principle, we may presume, of antithesis 
and pure allopathy. But, as it is also held that 
eating lion's flesh makes a cowardly man brave, 



282 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



it would also seem that homoeopathy is not 
despised. A chameleon split open alive is a 
common application to wounds and sores. The 
dried body of the animal is also employed. This 
is burned, and the noisome fumes arising there- 
from are inhaled by the patient as a sovereign 
remedy for debility. I have already spoken of 
leprosy, which is one of the scourges of the 
country. But in some places, as at Mogador, it 
seems to be unknown, although it prevails in the 
province of Haha, in which the town is situated. 

The fearful epidemic of plague, which cut off so 
many of the people in the last and beginning of 
the present century, has been entirely unknown 
for more than fifty years. It has certainly not 
been " stamped out " by precautions or improved 
sanitation. It is probably only in abeyance, in 
obedience to some unknown law. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



AGEICULT URE— DOMESTIC ANIMALS — MANUFACTURE S — 

MONEY. 

Morocco possesses no manufactures worthy of the 
name, its population depending in the main upon 
agriculture. The empire presents such variety 
and excellence of climate and soil in hill and 
valley, woodland and open plain, watered by rivers 
and numerous small streams, that almost every 
plant under the sun might be raised within its 
limits. Even by the application of ordinary in- 
dustry at least five times the present population 
might be supported. 

The change effected by rain after the summer 
heats is almost magical. Parched and apparently 
desert wastes burst out into one mass of green. 
Even the shifting sand-hills at this season show 
signs of life. Yet nothing strikes the eye of the 
stranger more forcibly than the absence of culti- 
vation over great tracts of fertile country. No 
road is seen except the beaten tracks which are 
the highways of the country, or those which 



284 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



connect the widely- scattered villages together. 
Many hours may be passed in travelling without 
a house, a tent, or any sign of human life being 
met with, except possibly a camel or two and 
their drivers on their way to the coast with a 
small quantity of produce, or returning back 
empty. Around the villages the traveller sees a 
set of lazy, yet stalwart Arabs, rolled up in their 
rags and sleeping in the shade. Ask one of these 
fellows why he does not till the ground and grow 
corn for sale as well as for his family, he will 
probably point to a plot of barley or wheat near 
at hand, and reply : " If it pleases God to send 
rain, there will be quite enough for myself and 
my family." And he will almost certainly add, 
"What is the use in planting more? The sheik 
will only come and take it from me if I have an 
extra quantity ; and if I do manage to get it to 
the coast, there will be no price given for it if the 
year happens to be a fruitful one." Such are the 
specious arguments for an indolence which might 
seem inexcusable. The sultan obtained, by treaty 
with foreign powers, the right to prevent the ex- 
portation of any article he pleased, and he at once 
prohibited the export of wheat and barley. Mean- 
while his people are impoverished, and European 
nations deprived of an excellent market. 

Except in the neighbourhood of towns, land is 
of no value. In many of the best grain-growing 
provinces, as in Abda, Doqualla, and Stooka, 



AGKICULTTJEE, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, ETC. 285 

thousands of fertile acres lie waste and ownerless. 
Manure is never used, and when the soil is ex- 
hausted the farmer moves to another locality. 
Almost the entire surface of the land, except 
that of the mountains, is covered with a rich soil, 
often of surprising depth. In some places, as in 
Bled Ahmar (the red country), this soil is of a red- 
dish colour, the dust of which, in the dry season, 
gives the face of the country and everything in it 
the same appearance. The great requisite of the 
Moorish farmer is water. Unless in the districts 
through which rivers now> neither himself nor 
his cattle could exist through the long rainless 
summers except by the aid of wells. Of these, 
some are of great depth, and the water is drawn 
from them after the most clumsy fashion. A bar 
is placed across the well's mouth, and to this bar 
a long rope is fastened, having attached to it a 
bucket, or rather bag, made of cow-skin. The 
wells are not private property, but belong to 
the tribe; and it is the constant occupation of 
three or four men to draw up water for the use 
of the farmers. The stranger must obtain per- 
mission to get water for his animals or even for 
his own use. The irrigating- wheel, so common in 
the East, is sometimes seen. 

The first thing to be done when the farmer 
settles on a plot of ground is to erect a hut. In 
the northern provinces this consists of low tabia 
walls covered with thatch ; but in the south, 



286 



MOEOCCO AND THE MOORS. 



where the population is more nomad, the hut, or 
novella, is formed of reeds, in the shape of a bee- 
hive. Whatever be the shape, it is generally sur- 
rounded with an impenetrable fence of cut thorn- 
bushes. "Within this a sufficient space is enclosed 
to house his cattle at night, and for himself 
and family protection is afforded against surprise 
and injury. As a further security, the huts are 
arranged in clusters, so as to form villages ; and 
the authority of one individual as headman is 
always acknowledged. An isolated hut is never 
seen throughout the country, and the migration 
of a whole village is not uncommon. But in the 
remote parts of the country, where the population 
is still more nomad, the Arabs live in tents made 
of goats' hair. The black, sloping roofs may be 
seen clustered in groups in the vicinity of water. 

If the land selected for agricultural purposes is 
overgrown with brushwood, it is cleared by setting 
it on fire, and the stems which remain unburnt 
are broken off close to the ground. At the com- 
mencement of the rainy season, which is generally 
in October, the land is ploughed. The plough 
consists of a log of tough wood about three feet 
long, roughly squared and pointed at one end. 
A handle is inserted into the other end, while 
another shaft projects from about the centre of the 
log. To this shaft a pair of bullocks is yoked 
by means of a rope. Sometimes a pair of mares, 
or a mare and a donkey are employed. But the 



AGRICULTURE, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, ETC. 287 

Moor is by no means particular as to his motive 
power. A camel and a donkey are occasionally 
used ; and, strangest of all, a woman may some- 
times be seen joined to the fortunes of a donkey in 
this useful but lowly toil. It unfortunately too 
often happens that the oxen have been seized by 
the revenue officers of the sultan, or rather of the 
governor who acts for the sultan. 

Adam, driven by necessity, could not have de- 
vised a more primitive or ruder implement than 
this Arab plough. The furrows it makes are most 
irregular, and consist of a mere scratching of the 
earth to the depth of a few inches. In heavy soils, 
such as the plains of Morocco and Abda, the 
plough is sometimes tipped with iron. Another 
implement used is the hoe. This consists of a 
piece of flat iron, having an eye on one side, 
into which a short handle is inserted at a right 
angle. This serves the purpose of a spade; 
it is used in digging canals and wells, and is 
also the special tool of gardeners. The plough, 
thorn-bush, hoe, hadge, or native sickle, and dagger, 
comprise the whole of the implements used by the 
Arab farmer. Yet, as already said, the results of 
his farming are often astonishing. 

Barley and wheat are sown broadcast; but 
maize, beans, and peas are inserted into the earth 
with the fingers, or in holes made with a pointed 
stick. A large thorn-bush, upon which a few 
stones are placed to give it weight, is then drawn 



288 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



over the surface to cover the seed, and the plant- 
ing operations are complete. Yet, such are the 
advantages of climate and soil, that the crops are 
often splendid. Sufficient rain is the one thing- 
requisite, and if this is forthcoming the rapidity 
and luxuriance of growth are marvellous. 

Corn is reaped with little sickles, which make 
the work very tedious and imperfect. Not more 
than half the straw is cut, and one reason of 
this seems to be the interference of rank 
weeds. Maize and beans, having thick stems, are 
cut with the large curved daggers worn by the 
Moors. 

Harvest along the coast usually commences in 
the latter end of March, when barley begins to be 
reaped. Beans are harvested in May, and wheat in 
June and July. Harvesting in the interior begins 
somewhat earlier than on the coast. 

The corn when cut is tied in small bundles, 
which are collected first into small heaps, and 
afterwards into one large heap close to the thresh- 
ing-floor. This is made of clay well beaten down 
and enclosed by thorn-bushes. Into this enclosure 
cattle are put, which are constantly driven round 
while the corn is thrown under their feet by women 
and children. After the grain has in this manner 
been trodden out it is cleaned by tossing in the 
air. When sufficiently dry it is stowed away in 
excavations made in the ground and plastered with 
tabia. As the mouth of the cavity is hermetically 



AGRICULTURE, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, ETC. 289 

sealed, grain will remain perfectly sound in these 
receptacles for many years. 

Farming to the north of Mogador consists 
mainly in the cultivation of maize, beans, and 
peas ; these articles of ordinary agricultural produce 
are alone allowed to be exported, and at times 
even these are prohibited. Saffi, Mazagan, and 
Oasa Blanca are the ports for these articles. 

A considerable amount of wheat 'and barley is 
grown on the magnificent plain of Morocco ; yet, 
so vast is its expanse, that to those passing 
over it it seems hardly cultivated at all. There is 
ample room for a great development of remune- 
rative industry. The ground has a gentle slope 
from the Atlas mountains ; and water being abun- 
dant, a perfect system of irrigation might be 
established. Here the steam plough might run 
for miles without interruption, and cotton might 
be grown to perfection. The cost of production, 
with labour at from 6d. to 8d. per day, and with 
transit, even by camel, at the rate of two dollars, 
8s., per load of four quintals, about 480 lbs., for 
the journey of 60 or 80 miles to Mogador, are all 
circumstances highly favourable to the introduc- 
tion of capital and scientific agriculture. The late 
sultan planted cotton on a large scale, and en- 
couraged some of his governors to follow his 
example. But the want of a proper system of 
irrigation, the absence of method in picking and 
cleaning, added to the fact that much of the cotton 



290 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



was stolen when ripe, led to the abandonment of 
its cultivation. 

Notwithstanding all the advantages of this 
favoured land, famines, caused by the failure of 
crops from drought, are not unfrequent. These 
famines are generally local, and under a better 
system of government would be hardly felt. It 
has already been explained why the Arab, as a rule, 
grows only corn enough for his immediate wants. 
When a famine occurs in a district the stock in 
hand is soon consumed ; and in places where the 
whole population might exist for years on the pro- 
duction of a single harvest, numbers of people 
perish from hunger. As the case stands the starv- 
ing people flock to the seaports, attracted by the 
grain collected by traders for export. 

The olive gardens of the south form picturesque 
groves of great extent ; their produce constitutes 
the principal wealth of the provinces of Haha 
and Sus. But the oil, probably from the imperfect 
methods of preparing it, is greatly inferior to that 
of Spain and Italy. It is, however, exported from 
Mogador in large quantities. 

The tree next in importance to the olive is the 
almond. It is grown largely in the provinces of 
Shedma and Haha, and in the country about 
Morocco. A considerable quantity of almonds are 
also grown in Sus, but they are of inferior quality. 
The mulberry-tree flourishes, and the silkworm is 
reared in the city of Morocco and some other 



AGRICULTURE, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, ETC. 29J 

places. But though the silk is of superior quality 
very little is made. The vine grows well, but is 
only to be seen about towns, where it is trained 
upon trees as in Italy. Through want of cultiva- 
tion the grapes are deficient in flavour, and the 
badly fermented, heavy wine prepared by the Jews 
is in all respects inferior. 

The forests of the south yield a large quantity 
of argan oil which throughout Morocco is employed 
in the preparation of almost every dish. 1 In the 
north a good deal of oil is extracted from mastic 
berries. This is used chiefly for burning, and 
it forms also an article of food among the poorer 
classes. Tobacco is grown in some places, but 
its flavour is strong and its quality altogether 
bad. 

Every large town we visited, with the exception 
of Mogador, was surrounded by fields and gardens 
extending a considerable distance. These were 
fenced by hedges of mastic or prickly pear, or, as 
at Morocco, by tabia walls. The gardens, according 
to locality, are filled with orange, citron, lemon, 
pomegranate, fig, date, and other fruit-trees. In 
good seasons the respective fruits are so plentiful 
as to be scarcely worth gathering ; but, with the 
exception of dates, for which Tafilet is celebrated, 
and citrons, none of these are exported. 

Truffles — Arabic Tarfas — grow in the country 
around Saffi, and in wet seasons are very abundant. 
1 Appendix E. 

u 2 



292 



MOROCCO AISD THE MOORS. 



Dr. Hooker, who, as previously stated, travelled 
in Morocco in 1871, and ascended the Atlas range, 
made a large collection of plants, many of which 
have been since figured and described in Curtis' s 
" Magazine of Botany." 

Vegetables might be raised in great perfection, 
but their cultivation is much neglected. Most of 
the ordinary kinds are grown near towns by the 
Jews. The Moors take little trouble to raise them. 
Cabbages grow to an enormous size, and I saw 
radishes in the city of Morocco which might have 
been mistaken for large carrots. 

The burden camel — Jimmel — is the most im- 
portant of the domesticated animals. By its 
means the products of distant provinces are inter- 
changed, and commerce is carried on with places 
like Timbuctoo, in the heart of Africa. The 
strength and enduring qualities of the camel alone 
make such journeys possible. Day after day, 
from sunrise to sunset, this patient animal will 
plod through a desert at the rate of about two 
miles an hour while carrying a load of four 
hundredweight, or even more. To sustain all this 
patient toil, a small meal of grain, or even of 
straw, with water at intervals of days will suffice. 
In the north, where the camel is larger, and food 
can be procured on a journey, the camel will carry 
as much as six hundredweight. 

But the camel is also valuable to the Arab for 
its milk, which is much esteemed, and for its flesh, 



AGRICULTURE, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, ETC. 293 

which he eats with great relish. Among the 
Moors, camels' milk has the same reputation for 
curing consumption as ass's milk has with us. 
The male camel is extremely vicious at a certain 
season. The Moors say that the camel keeps 
spite for a year, and that a man who has done 
one of these beasts an injury is in great danger if 
he approaches the injured animal at this particular 
time. The camel first knocks his victim down, 
then kneels on his chest, and (they say) listens to 
ascertain whether he still breathes before getting 
up. We have seen a camel rush frantically about > 
until he succeeded in throwing his rider, to the 
imminent risk of his neck. Camels also bite 
savagely. The ordinary price of one is about 10Z. 

The fast camel — or Seine — bears the same rela- 
tion to the burden camel as our thorough-bred 
horse does to a cart-horse. The form of the fast 
camel is more slender and elegant, and his special 
characteristic lies in his speed. The statements 
made in respect to this, as also of his endurance, 
seem almost fabulous. This breed of camels vary 
greatly in excellence, and one of first-rate quality 
is valued at a very large sum of money. 

The affection of the Arab for his horse is 
proverbial ; and in Morocco it has the place of 
honour among animals. It is not used as a beast 
of burden or of draught, but bears its master 
alone. When it dies it is not skinned, as this 
would be a profanation of the noble creature. 



294 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



When the Arab rises in the morning he lays his 
hand on his horse's head, at the same time saying, 
" In the name of God." He then kisses his hand 
to it, because of the favour in which the horse 
was held by Mohammed. Horses are carefully 
tended and frequently washed. Their food is 
straw and barley ; the last being given in a nose- 
bag, and only at sunset. They are sent to grass 
every spring for a period of forty days. 

The imaginative powers of the Arabs are greatly 
exercised in the matter of their horses. They 
attribute different qualities to different- coloured 
animals. A black horse is at its best at night, 
and a chestnut at sunrise. A white horse is more 
on the alert than one of any other colour ; while 
the grey horse, above all others — and there is 
much truth in the observation — is remarkable for 
soundness and endurance of hoof. The plains of 
Abda, to the eastward of Saffi, are renowned for 
their fine breed of horses. 

The desert horse, which is employed in hunting 
ostriches to the south of Wadnoon, is a wonderful 
animal. It is trained to live on camels' milk and 
dates, but sometimes, as it appears, on milk alto- 
gether; and the effect of this diet is to impart 
extraordinary speed and endurance. If, as some- 
times, the desert horse is brought north into 
Morocco, and is put on ordinary provender, its 
spare, greyhound-like frame soon fills out, and 
much of its great speed is lost. But these swift 



AGRICULTURE, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, ETC. 295 

horses, unlike the swift camels, require much 
attention. They cannot, in fact, travel without 
their nurses. Each horse requires a pair of 
camels to supply it with milk. Here is a hint for 
Newmarket ! Let a thorough-bred horse, from the 
time of weaning, be fed entirely on cows' milk in 
default of camels' milk, and let it contend for the 
prize with its oat and bean-fed brethren ! Other 
desert horses live like their owners when travelling, 
almost entirely on dates. 

But the ordinary horse of Morocco has nothing 
wonderful about it. It is a small, and not always 
a well-bred animal. It has endurance and fair 
speed, and its performances in the Moorish cavalry 
exercises prove it to be docile. As might be 
expected, the veterinary art of the Moors is in 
a barbarous state, but they shoe horses skilfully. 
The shoe has a bar across the frog. The average 
price of a horse is from 101. to 15Z. All the 
horses are stallions, and mares are seldom ridden 
usually they are kept solely for breeding. 

The mules of Morocco excel even those of Spain. 
Some of them are as large as a full-sized horse. 
Plodding, patient, sure-footed, and docile, they 
carry the traveller at the rate of four miles an 
hour through a long day, with few halts and little 
sustenance. The mule in Morocco holds the 
place of the stage coach or railway train in more 
advanced countries. The price of a mule ranges 
between 20/. and 40/. 



296 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



An ass with the driver mounted on it is com- 
monly seen preceding a drove of camels. The 
price of one varies from 11. to 11. 10s. 

The horned cattle of the country are small but 
not unsightly animals, and they resemble more or 
less the Alderney breed imported into England. 
The flesh is good, but the animals are generally in 
poor condition from want of attention. Bullocks, 
as already said, are used generally for ploughing. 
The price of a good cow is about 61., and of a 
bullock about 41. 

Sheep are reared extensively for the sake of 
their wool. This is in general of inferior quality. 
The best wool comes from the province of Tedla, 
and is largely used in the manufacture of the far- 
famed Fez caps. The mutton is poor, and tastes 
woolly, but improves considerably in the rainy 
season. The mountain sheep of the province of 
Sus, which feed on aromatic herbs, are, however, 
noted for their fine flavour. The price of a sheep 
is about 10s. 

Goats are very numerous, especially in the south. 
Shedma and Haha are famed for them. In those 
provinces they take the place of sheep. In Haha 
goats are often seen in the top of the argan-tree ; 
and a good climber, which can therefore support 
itself on the argan berries, brings a higher price 
than one that is not so active. Goats are valued 
for their skins, which yield the well-known Morocco 
leather. The price of one is about 8s. 



AGRICULTURE, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, ETC. 297 

The domestic fowl is very common in all parts 
of the country ; it is the main dependence of the 
traveller in the way of animal food. He will often 
be obliged to go for many days without meeting 
with anything that he can eat except the rooster, 
slain for his dinner and cooked with oil. Ducks 
are only common at Mazagan, and turkeys are 
unknown, except at Morocco. The want of better 
means of communication between distant places 
is the cause of many curious anomalies of the 
kind. 

The primitive art of weaving is carried to con- 
siderable perfection in Morocco. The loom is of 
the rudest kind, and is probably the same that 
has been in use for thousands of years. Fez is 
the chief seat of silk-weaving, while Habat and 
Morocco contain a great many looms for wool. No 
one can look at the beautiful carpets which their 
weavers turn out, without feeling that the rude 
designs and mixture of colours are guided by a 
taste which, although peculiar, has much in it to 
be commended. Weaving is an occupation confined 
to the poorer classes, and is in no way indebted to 
patronage or capital. Mineral dyes are hardly 
used ; but madder, pomegranate peel, henna, log- 
wood, cochineal, and indigo supply the ordinary 
colours. Of these, the three last are imported. 
As far as we could learn, mordants are unknown. 

The potter's art receives a good deal of atten- 
tion ; and the coarse glazed ware, which is seen 



298 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



everywhere, is often creditably ornamented. The 
principal manufactories are at Fez ; but the best 
specimens of ware are now scarce, as the two best 
designers died from cholera some years ago. 

Some of the Moorish metal work deserves com- 
mendation. There are goldsmiths and copper- 
smiths in all the large towns. We have often 
wondered at the precision with which the artificer 
forms elaborate decorations on brass trays, with 
his graver alone, without pattern or sketch of 
any kind. The whole thing is eliminated from 
the depths of his inner consciousness in a remark- 
able manner. The best gunmakers are found 
at Tetuan. 

The world at large is more familiar with the 
name of Morocco applied to leather prepared from 
goat skin than with the country itself, or any- 
thing which concerns it. But the tanners of 
Europe have learned to excel the Moors themselves 
in the art of preparing this kind of leather. In 
Morocco it is made only in four colours ; bright 
yellow, which is largely used for men's slippers, 
white and red, for women's slippers, and brownish- 
red, which is employed for other purposes. 

The Moorish ladies are very clever at em- 
broidery. Some of their work would do no dis- 
credit to the ladies of any part of the world. 

Churning, like all domestic work, falls to the 
lot of the women. The churn is a bag made of 
goat-skin. This, when nearly filled with milk, is 



AGRICULTURE, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, ETC. 299 

closed by tying the mouth tightly. The bag is 
then rolled about and kneaded till butter is 
formed. 

The Moor will never part with money if he can 
by any means avoid it. In a country where there 
are no banks, or other places of security, every 
man must be his own banker. To bury money in 
the earth, or otherwise hide it, is the common 
practice. The amount of money hoarded in the 
country must thus be very large, and the treasury 
of the late sultan was known to be rich. The 
European steamers are constantly conveying large 
amounts to Morocco in return for produce, while 
the exportation of specie is very trifling. 

Much of this money must be hidden away. If 
a man gets the reputation of being wealthy his 
position is perilous. He is sure to be soon 
arraigned before the governor of his province, 
who, on one pretext or another, demands the 
money. If it is refused, the unhappy owner is 
imprisoned or bastinadoed, to make him disgorge. 
Yet, such is his avarice that not unfrequently he 
yields his life rather than disclose the amount, or 
hiding-place of his gold. It must thus often hap- 
pen that hoarded wealth is lost, and hidden treasure 
is not uncommonly found ; but the law of treasure 
trove in Morocco is inflexible. Woe to the wretch 
whose ill stars have placed temptation in his way, 
in case the matter reaches his governor's ear. 
Not only is the finder of money compelled to give 



300 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



it all up, but, in proportion to his means, he is 
heavily fined, as a punishment for concealment. 

The following story, a propos of the pains taken 
to conceal money, incredible as it may seem, is 
strictly true. To the axiom known and often acted 
upon among ourselves, " Get money if you can 
honestly, but get it at all events," the Moor adds 
another ; " Hide money by fair means, or by foul." 
Some years ago a certain governor, who lived 
near Saffi, employed two masons to build a strong 
room or vault on his premises. So long as the 
work was in progress the men were treated as 
prisoners, and not allowed to communicate with 
any one, for even the materials used were only con- 
veyed to an outside door, whence they obtained 
them. The object of all this was to prevent the 
exact situation of the vault from becoming known. 
In this, when finished, a large amount of treasure 
was placed, and the opening to the vault was then 
built up. The men were then paid for their work 
and dismissed. But they had only proceeded a short 
distance before they were waylaid and killed by 
three slaves sent after them by the governor. The 
secret of the vault was by this atrocious means 
confined to his own breast. 

It sometimes happens that when a governor 
gets into irretrievable disgrace with the sultan, 
his house is utterly razed for the purpose of 
discovering hidden treasure. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



NATUEAL HISTORY AND SPOET. 

The wild boar, El Helloof, is found in all parts 
of the empire of Morocco; but abounds more 
particularly in the southern provinces. Wild boars 
are numerous in the neighbourhood of Mogador, 
as also in the argan forests near the Haha moun- 
tains. Here these animals find abundant food in 
various roots and berries ; and the argan-tree 
supplies them with its nutritious fruit, on which, 
when ripe, they fatten. 

The supposed affinity between devils and swine 
is not unknown to Christians ; but, with the 
Moslems, this belief has a practical application. 
In nearly all the stables of governors and wealthy 
Moors a young wild boar is kept, in order that 
gins and evil spirits may be diverted from the 
horses and enter into the pig. So artful and 
mischievous is the young boar, that it is no wonder 
he bears this bad reputation. If he has not made 
good his escape to his native wilds by the time 
he is six months old, he has become so fierce as 



302 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



to generally make it necessary to despatch him 
and supply his place. A tame pig, as affording 
more permanent quarters for the evil spirits, is 
occasionally substituted. 

The traveller sometimes sees in the retinue ... 
of a governor a slave carrying a small deer- 
skin. This the great man kneels upon when he 
says his prayers, which he must do, no matter 
where he is, at stated times in the day. The skin 
is that of a small antelope — El Horreh — about the 
same size and the same shape as the gazelle. 
But the colour of the back is reddish, while that 
of the belly is a very delicate white, and the 
Arabs say that the animal through fear of soiling 
this part never lies down. On this account the 
creature is regarded as an emblem of purity, and 
its skin is much prized for use as a praying-rug. 
The bezoar-stone, already described, and so highly 
prized, is obtained from this animal. The horreh 
is an inhabitant of the Sahara. 

The aoudad, or wild sheep, inhabits the most 
inaccessible part of the southern Atlas. It has 
strong horns about a foot long, curved back- 
wards, and a long, tufted growth of hair attached 
to the under part of the head and the front of the 
chest, which gives it a noble appearance. It is 
seldom caught alive, but a fine specimen was in 
the possession of Mr. Yule at Mogador, and 
others have been brought to Europe. 

Every one has heard of the monkeys on the 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPOKT. 



303 



Rock of Gibraltar, the only spot in Europe they 
at present inhabit. 1 Some years ago they were 
in danger of extermination ; but they are now so 
rigidly preserved, that it is the duty of a look-out 
man to note in a book the number of apes seen 
daily. It is curious that the opposite mountain 
at Oeuta, on the African coast, 2 is frequented by 
the same tailless species. This latter mountain is 
called <£ Apes' Hill ;" and it was formerly believed, 
on account of the varying number of the animals 
observed within short periods at Gibraltar, that 
a passage known only to the monkeys existed 
beneath the sea, between the two places. 

These tailless monkeys are also found near 
Tetuan, in the neighbouring mountains of the 
North Atlas chain. But strangely enough they 
are not met with in the southern provinces, where 
abound various fruits and berries that might 
supply them with food. "We had not the good 
fortune to see, during our travels in Morocco, a 
monkey in the wild state. 

We heard nothing about lions in Morocco, except 
that they exist in the Atlas range, and are neither 
numerous nor dangerous. The spotted leopard, 

1 Caesar, in his History, mentions their appearance on this 
rock. Mr. King, in his " History of Antique Gems," refers to 
the passage. 

2 Mr. Boyd Dawkins, in his learned work, " Cave-Hunting," 
shows that in the pre-glacial ages Europe and Africa were 
formerly united at this point by an isthmus. The former 
continent then stretched far west into the Atlantic. 



304 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



which attains a large size, is a more ferocious 
beast. He is met with in the southern provinces, 
and is not unfrequently taken in pitfalls, and then 
despatched by shooting. The Lynx, Felis Caracal, 
is found in wooded districts, and is sometimes 
brought alive to Mogador. 

The striped hyena, Dubbah, is common in the 
mountains. He is not dangerous to man, but 
commits great ravages among sheep and goats. 
The vacant stare of the hyena has gained him 
the reputation of being the most stupid of animals. 
If an Arab wishes to express that any one is 
extremely dull of comprehension, it is common 
to say, " He has eaten the brains of a hyena." 
In connexion with the following superstition, the 
Arabs entertain a grudge against the hyena, and, 
considering him to be a dangerous pest, destroy him, 
wherever possible. It is believed, that if a woman 
should meet a hyena she instantly becomes quite 
stupid. What is more, should a woman find a 
dead hyena, and obtaining a portion of its brains, 
administer the same to her husband, he becomes 
stupid, and her ascendancy over him is complete. 
In order to prevent these and other calamities, 
whenever a hyena is slain, his head is always cut 
off and burned. 

When leaving Mogador for England we had 
for fellow-passengers two fine hyenas. They were 
confined on deck, as it was supposed, quite securely. 
But after we had been a short time at sea the 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT. 



305 



brutes contrived to escape unobserved during the 
night by gnawing away the bars of their wooden 
cage. They must have jumped overboard, as, 
although well searched for, they were never seen 
afterwards. This assumption as to the way they 
disposed of themselves was by no means satis- 
factory to a Mogador gentleman who, with our- 
selves, occupied the cabin. He could not divest 
himself of the idea, nor, to say the truth, did his 
companion try to help him, that the savage 
beasts lurked in some corner of the vessel, and 
that in the dark hours an attack, something 
worse than that of nightmare, might be expected. 
So, in spite of heat and want of ventilation, he 
took special care every night to close and bolt 
the door of his private cabin. 

Jackals are numerous in Shedma and Haha. 
We often saw them by day, and heard their melan- 
choly wails by night. Deeb is the Moorish name 
for jackal. The red fox, taleb, apparently the 
same as the northern fox, is common. 

For the ornithologist Morocco is a fertile and 
little explored field. In some of the wooded dis- 
tricts birds are very numerous, but where there 
are no trees the traveller may go miles without 
perceiving any signs of feathered life. Almost 
all our own familiar birds, in addition to many 
unknown in northern climates, inhabit Morocco. 
The raven, rook, jackdaw, blackbird, goldfinch, 
linnet, greenfinch, robin, wagtail, skylark, are all 

x 



306 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



common. The crested lark is seen in all parts 
of the country, and is so tame that it barely keeps 
clear of the mules' feet as travellers pass on. 
Sometimes this pretty little bird merely backs out 
of the way, raising its crest and shaking its 
feathers in a coquettish and amusing manner. 
The tree-lark is also met with. 

Our common sparrow is, we believe, not found 
in Morocco, but in the city of Morocco a beauti- 
ful bird takes its place. This is the tabib, or 
doctor. It is of a brownish colour, about the size 
of a sparrow, but of a more slender and elegant 
form, and its habits and manners are altogether 
more engaging. When " at home " we were con- 
stantly visited by two or three of these little birds 
which, descending through the opening in the 
roof, were on the most familiar terms with us. 
They would hop, peer about, and pick up crumbs 
in so gentle a manner that it was pleasant to see 
them in such a turbulent place. It seemed, in 
fact, that they alone gave us a welcome in the 
city, and we always felt grateful to our little 
friends. The tabib has a local distribution. It 
was not known in any other part of the country 
we visited except Mogador ; and it was introduced 
into that town many years previously by an 
English merchant. 

But what particularly strikes the traveller are 
the number and variety of the hawk tribe. They 
are of every intermediate size between the majestic 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT. 307 



eagle and a small hawk about the size of a thrush. 
This little bird is common in the city of Morocco, 
where it wheels gracefully in the air above the 
houses, on which also it frequently perches. 
Falcons, prized in hawking, are procured in the 
country; and, as previously said, the island at 
Mogador is famed for them. In the argan forest, 
on the road to the city of Morocco, as also men- 
tioned before, a beautiful species, Melierax jpolyzonus, 
stated to be unknown on the coast, was procured. 
Vultures are not uncommon. In some places 
starlings are seen on the wing in countless 
thousands, giving the appearance of a great 
moving cloud ever changing its shape and dimen- 
sions. The starlings which we were able to 
examine were the black variety, Stumus unicolor. 

As in other Mohammedan countries, the stork 
lives unmolested in the midst of towns. There he 
mars the proportions of the minarets by over- 
shadowing them with his ungainly nest. The 
turtle-dove is very common about villages and 
wherever there is cultivation. In certain places 
the blue rock pigeon is extremely abundant. 

In the winter, when the rains have filled the 
rivers and covered the marshes, a great variety 
of water-fowl and other birds resort to them. 
Flamingoes, herons, curlews, snipes, green plovers, 
redshanks, many other waders, and ducks of vari- 
ous species are then more or less plentiful. 

The bustard is found in some localities, and the 



308 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



lesser bustard is widely diffused. The Barbary 
partridge is found almost everywhere, and the 
desert partridge of several varieties is common in 
the south. 

The ostrich is only met with in the south, about 
Wadnoon and the borders of the Sahara. Birds 
of the largest size and finest plumage are found in 
this district. The ostrich is hunted by Arabs 
mounted on the desert horses already described. 
The party advance cautiously against the wind, 
and with long intervals between each horseman, 
until marks of the birds' feet are discovered. 
These are followed up until the birds themselves 
are discovered by the hunters. A dash at full speed 
is then made after the game until the ostriches 
turn and face their pursuers. They do this 
because their pace, which is accomplished by a 
combination of flying and running, is interfered 
with by the action of the wind upon their wings. 
The gauntlet has then to be run among the armed 
sportsmen, who either shoot or maim the birds 
by throwing at their legs a short thick stick 
formed of hard-grained and heavy wood. In the 
use of this implement the Arabs are extremely 
dexterous. When secured, the throats of the 
birds are cut and the feathers plucked off. These 
and the flesh, which although coarse is eaten, are 
then divided among the hunters. 

The chameleon is often met with, especially in 
gardens, leisurely stalking along the ground, or 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT. 309 



clinging to the grape-vine, its favourite haunt. 
Although, when disturbed, its pace is quickened, 
it is easily captured. The change of hue, for the 
obvious purpose of escaping detection, which the 
skin of the chameleon undergoes according to the 
colour of surrounding objects, as well as the rolling 
of its eyes in opposite directions, excite the 
stranger's wonder. Although perfectly innocuous, 
the Arabs declare that the chameleon is a snake- 
destroyer, and that it kills by dropping a portion 
of its glutinous saliva on the head of the sleeping 
reptile. But the Arabs are famous for libelling 
the beasts of the field as well as their fellow-men. 
The dried body of the chameleon forms part of the 
native materia medica, and in this state it is sold 
in the bazaars. 

Lizards of many varieties and sizes, some of 
them presenting beautiful colours, are seen bask- 
ing in the sun, particularly in places where there 
are rocks and large stones beneath which they 
can shelter. Their quick and nimble motions give 
them a grace which is all their own. 

Morocco possesses many varieties of snakes, and 
two species are extremely venomous. The hooded 
viper, called by the Arabs buskah, is a frightful 
reptile. It is from six to eight feet long, of 
moderate thickness, and of a black colour. When 
about to attack, it raises its neck straight up a 
foot or more out of the coils which it forms with 
its body, while at the same time its head expands 



310 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



to several times its ordinary size. In this posi- 
tion, its hideous form, coupled with the idea 
of the deadly nature of its bite, gives it a truly 
demoniacal aspect. By means of the muscles of its 
body it then springs a distance of several feet and 
bites with fatal precision. This is the species upon 
which the isoiva, and serpent-charmers, chiefly 
practise. We have seen them pulling the reptiles 
about, and apparently acting in the most reckless 
manner. It is supposed by many persons that 
their poison-fangs have been extracted, so that 
there is no risk whatever in handling them. But 
this is certainly not always the case. At Saffi, 
a while before our visit, a snake-charmer, during 
his performance, was bitten in the forehead by a 
hooded snake and expired in a quarter of an hour. 
Fortunately the buskah is not common ; being, as 
it seems, confined to the country southward of 
Mogador. 

El Jffffah, translated, the violent-tsmpered, is the 
name given to another snake, sometimes exhibited 
by the snake-charmers. It is not more than two 
feet long, but is very thick in proportion. The 
colour of its skin is yellow, with brown and black 
marks. El effah is brought from Sus, where 
it lives in holes in the earth. Its bite is extremely 
venomous. A species of viper about a foot long, 
thin in the body, and black, is not uncommon ; but 
its bite, although dangerous, cannot be compared 
with that of either of the snakes just described. 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT. 



311 



In the city of Morocco and some other places 
a snake about four feet in length, handsomely 
marked in yellow and black, frequents houses, and 
is never molested. These snakes may be seen 
crawling about the ceilings, and emerging from 
holes in the floors. They do the duty of a cat in 
killing rats and mice. But, in addition to this 
claim to recognition for services, it is considered 
highly injudicious to incur their displeasure, for 
these domestic snakes are believed to bring good 
luck to the house, as also to harbour resentment to 
those who injure them, or for whom they entertain 
a dislike. 

Frogs abound in almost every tank and pool, 
and some are of very large size. When evening 
sets in they may be heard at a considerable dis- 
tance, and the cry of one variety closely resembles 
that of the partridge. 

Of late years, in London, small tortoises have 
been common on the barrows of costermongers. 
These creatures are sold for about sixpence each 
as pets for children. Yet few people know the 
native country of the reptiles, or the cruel treat- 
ment they undergo on the voyage to England. 
Among the minor exports from Morocco is that of 
tortoises. They abound about Mogador and Sain, 
where they are met with, when the sun is out, 
dragging their unwieldy bodies along, and when 
interfered with defying danger by retiring within 
their impregnable armour. These tortoises are 



332 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



collected by the country people, and bought up 
by the Jews, who pack them closely in barrels for 
exportation. Cold-blooded and abstinent as they 
are, they must suffer much during the long voyage 
from deprivation of food and power of locomotion. 

Foremost among insect pests is the domestic fly, 
our own familiar friend, which with us is a well- 
mannered, unassuming creature compared with 
the same insect in Morocco. In the city of Morocco 
flies are bred by millions in the vegetable offal 
which everywhere abounds. The things on which 
they alight present a black appearance, by reason 
of their numbers. It is uncomfortable to know 
that at one moment they are diving into all sorts 
of nastiness and at the next alighting on your 
face. There cannot be a doubt that some diseases 
are propagated by direct contagion conveyed by 
the feet and probosces of flies. Notably this must 
be the case with regard to ophthalmia. We have 
often seen swollen and exuding eyelids thickly 
surrounded by flies which the sufferers allowed to 
have their own way rather than be at the trouble 
of a worrying contest with them. These insects 
would certainly convey the disease by passing from 
unhealthy to healthy eyes. 

Mosquitoes are in some places very troublesome, 
and a mosquito curtain is an indispensable article 
in the bedroom. In the neighbourhood of certain 
lakes these pests, and a species of sandfly, make 
the adjoining country uninhabitable. 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT. 



313 



Fleas thrive so greatly that if a room be shut up 
for some time they literally swarm. An inge- 
nious mode of disposing of them is then adopted. 
A sheep is confined in the room, and the blood- 
suckers are thus induced to collect upon the fleecy 
victim, which is presently driven out with its cargo 
of live-stock. Many of the houses are infested 
with the filthy insects, which are associated in 
our ideas with dirt and neglect. Still worse, 
the majority of the people harbour on their 
persons more noisome pests. 

Locusts are every year more or less present, but 
Morocco is subject, at long but uncertain intervals, 
to the sudden appearance of immense hosts of 
them, which cover the face of the country, destroy- 
ing in their progress every vestige of vegetation. 
These hosts come invariably from the south, where 
in the vast wastes of the Sahara they are bred. 
But when they have once migrated they are apt 
to remain in force and to multiply for some years. 
They travel in such well-defined masses that, 
while the face of one portion of the country has 
been suddenly changed by them from that of 
spring to autumn, an adjoining portion, perhaps 
only separated by a stream, will remain entirely 
unattacked. The Arabs attribute this to disci- 
pline, and declare that the movements of the 
insects are regulated by an individual locust which 
they term the sultan. 

Sometimes the farmers make feeble attempts to 



314 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



protect their crops by lighting fires around their 
fields. But there is some compensation in the 
circumstance that if the locusts devour the food of 
man they are also themselves a source of food. 
They are collected in sacks by night, and first 
boiled in salt and water, are then fried. Only the 
soft part of the body is eaten, much as we eat 
prawns, which they resemble in taste. They are 
considered to be wholesome food, and in perfection 
as soon as the insects can fly. 

Nevertheless, the total loss of crops is too often 
'followed by calamitous famines. Moreover, these 
hosts of locusts rising high in the air are carried 
by the winds out to sea, in which they perish. 
Their decomposing bodies, in countless millions, 
are afterwards cast up on the shores, and there 
give out an intolerable stench. 

The sea around the coast of Morocco contains 
the majority of our northern fishes, together with 
many not known in our latitudes. Mackerel and 
herrings arrive at certain seasons, and are caught 
in great numbers. Turbot, soles, mullet grey 
and red, dog-fish, and conger-eels abound. The 
tunny fishery on the coast employs many vessels, 
which belong chiefly to Spain and the Canary 
Islands. The Spanish and Portuguese fishing 
vessels go in considerable numbers as far south 
as Eabat in search of fish ; of these, three are 
steamers employed in carrying the fish. Sardines 
are also caught in large quantities. The shores 



NATURAL HISTOEY AND SPORT. 315 



about Mogador are particularly rich in fish, pro- 
bably because the northerly current which flows 
along the coast finds its limit here, and is diverted 
thence towards the Canary Islands. This part is 
visited every few years by shoals of a fish measuring 
from five to six feet in length, of excellent flavour, 
and called by the Moors tasergelt. It is fished 
for with a long rod and wire instead of line, and 
is so voracious that a piece of rag is a sufficient 
bait. Lobsters, cray-fish, shrimps, oysters, and 
mussels are abundant in many places. But the 
fish which claims special attention is the shebbel^ 
a species of shad. On account of its flavour this 
is regarded as the salmon of Barbary ; indeed, by 
some Europeans, it is preferred to the salmon. It 
leaves the sea in spring, and ascending all the 
rivers of any magnitude, is then abundant. In 
some places, as at Azamoor, in the description of 
which place this fish was referred to, at Larache, 
and at Aghadir in the south, the shebbel forms a 
staple article of trade. Salted and dried it is 
carried far into the interior. 

In the bay of Tangier, where there is a shelving, 
sandy bottom, a curious mode of fishing for soles 
is practised. The fisherman wades through the 
water till it reaches his waist or beyond, and as he 
proceeds he carefully examines the bottom. But 
as the least ripple on the surface greatly interferes 
with his vision, he pours upon the water, when 
necessary, a very small quantity of oil from a 



316 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



bottle lie carries. This makes the surface for 
some distance round perfectly smooth, and enables 
him to see the fish, which he then strikes with a 
single barbed spear, and rarely misses his aim. 

The cachelot, or sperm whale, is not unfrequently 
cast up on the southern coasts, and considerable 
quantities of ambergris are in this way obtained. 
The Moors maintain that it was on the coast of 
Sus that the prophet Jonah was cast out of the 
belly of the whale. A temple has been erected in 
his honour, and it is appropriately fashioned out 
of the ribs and other bones of whales obtained on 
the shore. 

Partridge- shooting in Morocco is a very different 
thing from the easy-going affair it is in England. 
It begins about the same time in both countries, 
but the fierce glare of a September sun in Africa 
is not like his mild rays on the cultivated fields of 
Kent or Surrey. For this reason it is necessary 
to be afield before daylight, so as to be on the 
shooting-ground when the dawn appears. At 
Tangier we made many excursions in company with 
Mr. Martin, who is a keen sportsman. The first 
thing necessary to be arranged on the previous 
night was to have the town gate opened before the 
usual time. This was accomplished by the pay- 
ment of half a dollar to the guard ; and as it was 
then necessary for a stranger to go beyond the 
twelve-mile radius before looking for game, we were 
obliged to be on our horses as early as three or four 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT. 



317 



a.m. This restriction, as may be well supposed, 
was not directed against the native population, but 
was intended as a preventive against the undue 
destruction of game by the numerous visitors to 
Tangier. It was greatly objected to by the officers 
of the garrison of Gibraltar, and has recently been 
altogether removed. 

Our way lay generally for some miles on the 
smooth sands along the shores of the bay, and the 
ride in the cool, calm night compensated for such 
early rising. The phosphorescent light from the 
rippling waves was always beautiful, but on one 
occasion the appearance presented was singularly 
striking. There was more sea than usual, and as 
each wave came grandly tumbling in upon the 
shore a nearly perpendicular wall of light was 
formed, illuminating the beach so that each pebble 
and shell was distinctly seen. This was the more 
remarkable because the water beyond the well- 
defined crest of the wave was quite dark. It was 
only when stimulated by the breaking of the wave 
that the light-producing creatures shed their 
lustre. 

One morning early we came upon a lonely 
fisherman, seated in the dark, upon a rock. He 
had caught some large fish of the bream kind, 
which afterwards made a welcome addition to our 
breakfast. 

The shooting-ground was, for the most part, a 
succession of dry, stony hills, studded over with 



318 



MOROCCO AND THE MOOES. 



palmettoes. There were occasional patches of 
durrha, or millet, and here and there a few trees. 
As soon as light permitted we commenced ope- 
rations, which were continned until nine or ten 
o'clock. Then the shade of some spreading tree 
was sought. The servants lighted a fire ; and, as 
everything necessary was conveyed on our baggage 
mule, we breakfasted with a zest that such early 
rising and exercise can only impart. After- 
wards we continued our efforts until about noon, 
when we again sought shade, and generally slept 
stretched on the ground for a couple of hours. 
This siesta was not only necessary on account of 
the heat, but it would have been useless to 
continue shooting, because the birds at this time 
of day also avoid the heat by stowing themselves 
away in the closest coverts. We seldom left our 
ground until it was too dark to shoot. 

We shall never forget a ludicrous but unfortunate 
incident that occurred in one of our excursions. 
We always took with us two attendants, and 
on the occasion in question Mogunnum, a black 
man, rode the mule with the pack-saddle that 
contained all our good things in the way of 
eating and drinking, as well as a new breech - 
loading gun belonging to Mr. Martin. We came 
to an almost perpendicular ridge of ground over- 
grown with stout shrubs, which any one else even 
on foot would have avoided by going around in 
search of an easier passage ; but Mogunnum was 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT. 



319 



not to be deterred by trifles. He was a little in 
advance, and faced the mnle fairly at the obstacle. 
Up went the docile animal, and on went Mo- 
gnnnnm and his load, in spite of his master's 
unsparing and well-deserved maledictions. But 
Mogunnum soon paid dearly for his rashness. 
The sweery, or panniers, caught by the shrubs, 
caused the mule, which pushed gallantly on as 
long as it could go, to topple straight backwards, 
crushing poor Mogunnum badly, injuring his 
head, smashing the new gun, and dissipating 
pleasurable anticipations of certain reviving 
draughts after a hot walk. For the time this 
incident spoiled all harmony ; but it had its comic 
side; and to this hour the sight of the poor 
heedless fellow making his equestrian sommersault 
rises before us. 

The Barbary partridge appears to be a larger 
bird than the European red-legged, or French 
partridge, from which it also differs in plumage. 
Three brace — all, with one exception, young birds 
— weighed six pounds. The Barbary partridge is, 
however, an indifferent bird for the table ; it is 
dry, wants flavour, and requires skilful cooking to 
make it good eating. Its habits are in some 
respects very different from other varieties of the 
partridge. It frequents thick trees, such as the 
olive, for the sake of shade ; and it is always 
necessary to throw stones into their foliage when 
beating for it during the heat of the day. In 



320 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



general, only one bird is found in the same tree. 
Coveys vary in size from four or five to fifteen or 
twenty birds. The best place to find birds, in the 
morning and evening, was the durrha or millet- 
fields, the soft grains of this plant affording them 
tempting food. We constantly found a covey 
wherever there was a stream, and the sheltered 
sides of the hills were always preferred by the 
birds. We had a steady pointer, but dogs are of 
little use before the rains begin; the scent will 
not lie, and the want of water in some districts is 
a fatal drawback ; we were, in fact, obliged to 
carry water for the dog as well as for ourselves. 
On this account spaniels are useless in Barbary, 
except in the rainy season. Our plan was to hire 
three or four villagers to walk in a line with us as 
beaters. These fellows beat the palmetto tufts, 
and threw stones into the trees as we advanced. 
It was astounding with what pertinacity single 
birds would cling to a tuft of covert under our 
feet ; but, on the other hand, the coveys, except 
in the millet-fields, were apt to get up out of shot. 
Everywhere the provoking tendency of the red- 
legged partridge to run, instead of rising on the 
wing, gave much trouble, and was an additional 
reason why dogs were of little use. A few quails 
were met with, and the lesser bustard was some- 
times seen, but we never succeeded in getting 
near them. The bustard is not unfrequent on 
the southern plains. But this fine bird is very 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT. 321 



difficult of approach, and requires to be regularly 
stalked for one to obtain a shot. 

Rabbits are fairly numerous in the neighbour- 
hood of Tangier ; and it is a curious fact tha.t they 
disappear so entirely in the south that the Arabs 
there do not know what they are. It is said that 
the river at Rabat is the line of demarcation, 
beyond which not a single rabbit can be found. 
There are no snipes till November; numbers of 
them then arrive, and shooting them begins. 

It must not be supposed that such a laborious 
day as I have described was ever attended by the 
same results as a good day's partridge-shooting 
in England. From eight to ten brace would be 
regarded in Morocco as good sport for a couple of 
guns. The birds, although numerous, do not lie 
as at home ; and they are apt to get up in places 
where shots cannot be obtained. If in trees, 
they will rush out at the wrong side for a shot ; 
and in the millet-helds the height of the plant is 
a great obstacle to obtaining a good view of 
them. 

The royal sport of falconry is much practised 
by the Moors, and they are very expert in training 
hawks. The late sultan did not care much for 
hawking, but his father was devoted to the sport. 
Good hawks are greatly prized, and the island at 
Mogador, as already said, is famous for them. 
They are taught to fly at partridges, bustards, 
wild ducks, wild geese, and hares. 

Y 



322 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



The Arabs are fond of coursing, and some of 
their greyhounds are fine animals. They resemble 
the rough Scotch greyhound, but seem smaller 
and more strongly built. In our sense of the 
word the Arab is not a sportsman ; he is, in fact, 
a pot-hunter. If a hare, even when chased by 
dogs, comes near him he will, if possible, knock 
it over with the short stick he always carries, and 
which he throws with great dexterity. The 
number of dogs sent after a hare is not limited ; 
sometimes as many as ten may be noticed. The 
hares are very fast and cunning, and if the ground 
is not open they are seldom caught. Arabs 
mounted on mares without saddles or bits, the 
place of the latter being supplied by pieces of 
cord in the mouth, commonly attend the dogs. 
They keep a look-out, and try to turn the hares 
into the open country. Horses are seldom ridden 
on these occasions, because they are far less 
manageable than mares. These swift and docile 
animals will often run down a hare, and it is 
alleged that they hunt by sight like the greyhound. 
Hence, perhaps, the absence of the bit, the mode of 
riding calls to mind that of the reinless Numidians. 

We frequently saw on the plain of Morocco 
Bmall herds of gazelles gracefully bounding along. 
This beautiful animal is a great favourite with the 
Moors. They keep it in confinement as a pet, 
and sing its praises in their songs. It is hunted 
with greyhounds, accompanied by men on swift 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT. 



323 



horses. The gazelle is also hawked in a peculiar 
manner; the bird swoops over the head of the 
animal, whose speed is thus slackened, so that the 
greyhounds overtake it. The flesh of the gazelle 
is held in great esteem. 

The jackal is also hunted with greyhounds. 
Such a hunt is the occasion of a great gathering 
of Moors, mounted and on foot. It is usual to 
commence proceedings with prayer, ending with 
the pious adjuration, " May God curse the devil ! " 
The dogs are ranged in the open, while a number 
of beaters advance towards them through a covert 
supposed to contain the game. As they advance 
the beaters keep up a frantic noise by shouting, 
screaming, and firing guns. When the jackal is 
started the dogs are unloosened. In speed the 
jackal is no match for the dog, and in the open 
country is soon run down. But this is a small 
part of the performance, for the jackal has still to 
be caught, and only some greyhounds will under- 
take to catch him. It is a fine sight to witness 
the precaution of the dog in seizing his savage 
prey. If he gets a chance the jackal is sure to 
make his long fangs sorely felt. The dog, there- 
fore, watches the opportunity until he can seize 
the jackal by the neck, close to the ears. Having 
effected this, the brute is pinned to the ground 
and soon despatched. The Barbary jackal is a 
large and fierce variety. 

The porcupine is common in the rocky hills of 
y 2 



324 



MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 



the south. It is hunted by moonlight with dogs 
trained for the purpose, or is caught in nets. The 
flesh is considered good eating by the Moors, but 
is rather luscious for the European palate. Live 
porcupines are often brought to Mogador, and the 
quills of the animal form a small article of export. 

Boar-hunting, however, may be regarded as the 
national sport. Hunts on a very extensive scale 
are periodically organized by the governors. A 
long line of mounted men take up their places on 
one side of the thicket, known to contain boars, 
while a crowd of beaters drive the game towards 
the horsemen. The uproar and imprecations 
showered on the unclean animals baffle description ; 
and when a boar is started the excitement reaches 
the highest pitch. The boar is hunted by strong 
dogs of the greyhound kind, which boldly attack 
the savage animal ; and a dog having once made 
its hold good will not quit it. But it is no un- 
common thing for a dog to be ripped up by the 
boar's tusks. When a shot can be obtained it is 
taken advantage of. If the boar is only wounded 
without being disabled, he will inevitably charge 
his assailant, who, if on foot, then stands in great 
danger unless the ferocious brute has his attention 
diverted by the dogs, or is brought down by 
another shot. 

Sir John Drummond Hay, who is a thorough 
sportsman, follows boar-hunting in the neighbour- 
hood of Tangier after the Indian fashion. The 



NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT. 325 



boars are pursued aud speared from horseback. 
So great a lover of the sport is Sir J. D. Hay, 
that some years ago he caused young Spanish 
boars to be liberated in his preserves, for the 
purpose of improving the Morocco breed. 

Although the Moors regard the boar as an 
unclean animal, many of them make no scruple of 
eating the flesh. 



APPENDIX. 



A. 

READINGS OF THE THERMOMETER (FAHRENHEIT'S) AT 
TANGIER DURING THE YEAR 1872. 

The instrument was exposed, in the shade, to the open air, in the "patio " 
of Mrs. Carleton's boarding-house. 





Jan. 


Feb. 


March. 


April. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 .... 


55°.. 


58°.. 


62°.. 


62°.. 


65°.. 


70°.. 


73°.. 


74°.. 


— ° • • 


71°.. 


66°.. 


54° 


2 .... 


58 .. 


— .. 


61 .. 


63 .. 


65 .. 


71 .. 


76 .. 


75 .. 


— .. 


70 .. 


64 .. 


54 


3 .... 


60 .. 


— .. 


62 .. 


63 .. 


66 .. 


70 .. 


80 .. 


76 .. 


— 


70 .. 


63 .. 


54 


4 


58 .. 


58 .. 


63 .. 


62 .. 


68 .. 


75 .. 


80 .. 


73 .. 


— • • 


65 .. 


64 .. 


— 


5 . . .. 


60 .. 


61 .. 


63 .. 


64 .. 


62 .. 


72 .. 


81 .. 


74 .. 


— . . 


64 .. 


66 .. 


52 


6 .... 


59 .. 


. . 


60 .. 


62 .. 


64 .. 


71 .. 


78 .. 


75 .. 


74 .. 


58 .. 


64 .. 


57 


7 .... 


55 .. 




57 .. 


62 .. 


62 .. 


71 .. 


79 .. 


76 .. 


74 .. 




64 .. 


50 


8 .... 


56 .. 




54 .. 


62 .. 


64 .. 


70 .. 


77 .. 


78 .. 


75 




66 .. 




9 .... 


60 .. 


60 


56 .. 


64 .. 


66 .. 


68 .. 


75 .. 


74 .. 


76 .. 


64 .*. 


65 .. 


59 


10 .... 


60 .. 


60 .. 


58 .. 


67 .. 


65 .. 


66 .. 


74 .. 


75 .. 


76 .. 


68 .. 






11 .... 


59 .. 


61 .. 


60 .. 


66 .. 


65 .. 


66 .. 


79 .. 


74 .. 


79 .. 


60 .. 


62 


55 


12 .... 


58 .. 


60 .. 


58 .. 


66 .. 


65 .. 


70 .. 


74 .. 


78 .. 


77 .. 


60 „. 


61 .. 




13 .... 


60 .. 


60 .. 


60 .. 


64 .. 


65 .. 


72 .. 


77 .. 


78 .. 






56 .. 




14 


61 .. 


62 .. 


60 .. 


65 .. 


65 .. 


73 .. 


76 .. 


81 .. 






56 .. 




15 .... 


56 .. 


60 .. 


60 .. 


65 .. 


65 .. 


71 .. 


80 .. 


80 .. 


78 




54 .. 


50 


16 .... 


54 .. 


56 .. 


59 


64 .. 


70 .. 


71 .. 


74 . 


73 .. 


77 .. 




59 .. 




17 .... 


57 .. 


58 .. 


62 .. 


68 .. 


71 .. 


73 .. 


76 .. 


73 .. 


79 .. 




61 .. 


52 


18 .... 


58 .. 


56 .. 


64 .. 


66 .. 


67 .. 


78 .. 


74 .. 


74 .. 




59 Y. 


60 .. 


54 


19 .... 


58 .. 


60 .. 


64 .. 


62 .. 


65 .. 


72 .. 


75 .. 


76 .. 


72 


62 .. 


59 .. 


55 


20 .... 


56 .. 


61 .. 


64 .. 


58 .. 


68 .. 


76 .. 


78 .. 


75 .. 


72 .. 


66 .. 


61 .. 


52 


21 .... 


56 .. 


61 .. 


65 .. 


60 .. 


65 .. 


77 . . 


68 .. 


78 .. 


77 .. 


64 .. 




54 


22 .... 


57 


58 .. 


64 .. 


62 .. 


66 .. 


80 .. 


75 .. 




75 .. 


63 .. 






23 


59 


60 .. 


59 .. 


62 .. 


65 .. 


83 .. 


77 .. 






60 .. 


59 !.' 


60 


24 


60 .. 


59 .. 


56 .. 


60 .. 


62 .. 


74 .. 


78 .. 




68 . . 


61 .. 




55 


25 .... 




62 .. 


58 .. 


61 .. 


62 .. 


74 .. 


79 .. 




70 .. 


63 .. 




60 


26 .... 


56 


61 .. 


60 .. 


65 .. 


66 .. 


77 .. 


75 .. 




67 .. 


63 .. 


59 . . 




27 .... 


57 .. 


64 e . 


62 .. 


61 .. 


64 .. 


76 .. 


74 .. 




74 .. 


66 .. 


58 .. 


53 


28 .... 


60 .. 


61 .. 


63 .. 


62 .. 


65 .. 


80 .. 


76 .. 




73 .. 






57 


29 .... 


57 .. 


63 .. 


66 .. 


64 .. 


68 .. 


76 .. 


72 .. 




70 .. 


62 .. 


58 


52 


30 .... 






60 .. 


64 .. 


72 .. 


75 .. 


71 .. 




70 .. 


64 .. 


60 .. 


51 


31 .... 


60 . . 




60 .. 








75 .. 


75 




65 . 






Highest 


61 .. 


64 


66 .. 


68 


72 


83 .. 


81 .. 


81 .. 


79 


71 .. 


66 


60 


Lowest 


54 .. 


56 .. 


54 .. 


58 .. 


62 .. 


66 .. 


68 .. 


73 .. 


70 .. 


58 .. 


54 .. 


50 



The observations which compose this table were carefully 
made by the late Mr. Plumer. Although there are some 



328 



APPENDIX. 



breaks, and only a single daily observation was noted, the table 
is valuable as being the only one of the kind in existence. It 
indicates a remarkable uniformity of temperature. In Novem- 
ber, December, January, February, and March, the months 
which chiefly concern the invalid in search of a suitable winter 
climate, the readings of the thermometer show a range of be- 
tween 66° F. and 50° F. only, while, as I have already pointed 
out, the variation in the temperature between day and night is 
very small. 

A gentleman who has resided long at Alexandria informed 
me that he finds the climate of Tangier so inviting that he 
has bought a house on Mount Washington, with the inten- 
tion of living there when he retires from his professional duties 
in Egypt. 

Tangier is hardly known as a healthy resort, yet I met with 
several instances in which residence there was remarkably 
beneficial, and a few brief notes of some of the cases may prove 
useful. 

A gentleman left England suffering from phthisis, accom- 
panied by copious haemorrhage from the lungs. He at first 
tried different localities in the Levant with little benefit, and 
nine years ago came to Tangier, where he at present holds a 
high official position. His London physician, who is foremost 
in the experience of such cases, saw him lately and told me 
that he considered this to be a true case of recovery from 
advanced phthisis. 

Another official, who also suffered from phthisis, informed 
me that he had tried different climates without benefit, but 
that he considered himself quite restored to health by his 
residence at Tangier. 

Mr. B , a young gentleman who had lost two sisters and 

a brother from phthisis was attacked, with all the symptoms 
of the disease, including repeated attacks of haemorrhage from 
the lungs in the winter of 1867-68, which he passed partly in 
Brittany with little advantage from the change. At the 



APPENDIX. 



329 



beginning of the following winter he left England, intending 
to go to Malaga, but when at Gibraltar on the way crossed 
over to Tangier for a short visit. It so happened that when 
there it was declared that quarantine would be imposed on all 
persons passing from Barbary to Spain. As a result of this 

detention Mr. B remained at Tangier four months. 

" The improvement in my health during this time (he writes) 
was marvellous. The cough and expectoration entirely ceased, 
and I got stronger every day. No one who had not seen me 
when I arrived would have supposed that I had visited the 
place on account of health, as I looked and felt almost perfectly 
well. I was so set up that I was able to remain in England 
throughout the following winter ; but in the succeeding 
autumn all the bad symptoms returned. A second winter at 
Tangier was accompanied by the same beneficial results, and I 
have passed the three last winters there with the same un- 
shaken confidence in the place." 



B. 

SUMMARY OF M. BEAUMIER'S METEOROLOGICAL 
OBSERVATIONS. 

All the rainfall of the year occurred on twenty-eight days, 
fourteen of these were between January 6th and May 5th 
inclusive, and an equal number between October 24th and 
December 31st inclusive. The days free from rain, therefore, 
in the two periods named, in other words, the fine days of 
winter and spring, numbered 166 against 28 days on which 
rain, sometimes only as showers, fell. As a rule the sky was 
clear, and the climate very enjoyable. 

There are a few places in the world for which exemption 
from phthisis is claimed with more or less truth, and Mogador 



SUMMARY OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS MADE BY M. BEAUMIER, 





BAROMETER. 


Thermometer (Centigrade). 


Year 1869. 


/ 

Max. 


Min. 


Averages. 


Averages, 
"of the 
month. 


Max. 


Min. 


Averages 


"N 

Averages 
of the 
month. 


( 1st to 15th 
January ... \ 

\ 1 Dill 10 O lal 


769° 

101 


754° 
760 


763*88° 
769 *29 


1 764*585° 


{ 18° 


14° 
16 


15-83° 
18*64 


) 17-23° 
f =F.63° 
J 


t 1st to 14th 
February \ 

\ LtJlll 10 iotu 


769 
769 


764 
760 


765-71 
764'40 


I 765*050 
) 


r 

(.20 


14 
13 


17*10 
16*30 


\ 16*70 
f = F.61*8 


f 1st to 15th 

1 lfUh tn 31 <;t 


765 
766 


754 
756 


759-354 
761 645 


1 760*500 


|22 
122 


15 
15 


17-29 
17*18 


) 17 21 
j =F.63 


r 1st to 15th 
I lfith tn 30th 


765 50 
768 


757 
755*50 


761-48 
763 30 


I 762-390 
J 


r 

1 23 


15 
17 


18*95 
19*66 


) 19*31 
j =F667 


f 1st to 15th 

May \ 

1 16th to 31st 


764 
766 


756 
757 


760-66 
761*55 


! 761*100 


(23 
124 


17 
18 


20*22 
20*12 


\ 2017 
f = F.68*3 


( 1st to 15th 
( 16th to 30th 


766 
764*50 


756 
759*50 


762 40 
762 


| 762 200 


1" 

(27 


19 
19 


21-58 
22 62 


1 22*10 ' 
j =F.71'7 


( 1st to 15th 

1 lfith tn 31 st 


764-50 
763 


760 
758 


762-71 
760'562 


J 761-636 


(26 
(25 


20 
20 


22 33 
21*77 


) 22*05 
j =F.71*6 


f 1st to 15th 

1 iPth to 31st 


765 
764 


759 
758 


761-224 
761 "290 


J 761-267 


r26 

( 27 


20 
21 


22-33 
23*20 


) 22*76 
j =F.72*8 
J 


( 1st to 15th 
September \ 

1 Ifith tn 30th 

\ lUtll t\i UUtll 


764 
765 


756 
760 


761- 444 

762- 377 


J 761-910 


I 26 

1 26 


20 
19 


21-31 
21-09 


) 21 20 
j =F.70*1 


I 1st to 15th 
October ... < 

(.16th to SIst 


765 
765 


759 
755 


762.88 
760-573 


| 761-726 


I" 

1 24 


19 
15 


21-18 
19-54 


1 20-36 
j =F.68-5 


( 1st to 15th 
November \ 

(.16th to 30th 


766 
771-50 


758*50 
758*50 


762-90 
764-73 


| 763-810 


(22 
(21 


16 
14 


18-82 
17-53 


) 18-17 
j = F.64 5 


( 1st to 15th 
December \ 

1.16th to 31st 


770 
770 


750 
755 


761-233 
762 375 


J 761*802 


f 

1 18 


13 

12 


19-85 
14-83 


) 1534 
| =F.59-3 


Summary for the year 1 
1869 "j 

I 


Maximum : 771 '50°. Nov. 28th ... 
Minimum : 750°. Dee. fit.h 


Max. : 27°. June 13th and 27th; 

Aug. 18th, 19th, and 30th. 
Min. : 12°. Dec. 26th and 29th. 


Average of the year... . 


.. 762-025° 


Average of the year . 


. 19-383° 


Results of the pre- C 1866-67 
ceding years ...| 1867 _ 68 


Maxim. 
| 773-50° ... 

j 774 


Minim. 
7^6° ... 

745 ... 


Average. 
762-10° 

762-20° 


Maxim. 
27° ... 

30 


Minim. 
14° ... 

12 


Average. 
20 358° 

20 



Note.— The thermometer (Centigrade, by Leja) was suspended in the shade in an inner gallery of 
the Consulate house. The barometer (Holosterique, by Leja) was very carefully corrected. 
When the index stood at 760° variable weather was generally indicated, the wind being E.N.E. 



B 

AT THE FRENCH CONSULATE, MOGADOR, DURING THE YEAR 1869. 









Direction of the Wind. 






State 


of Sky. Ob- 






Observations made three times daily. 




servations 


made 






















three times daily. 


/ 


















\ 








N. 


N.E. 


E. 


S.E. 


N.W. 


W. 


S.W. 


S. 


Calm. 


Variable 


Clear. 


Hazy. 


Cloudy. 




30 




1 




5 


4 


5 






30 


15 




... 


36 




3 






5 


4 






36 


12 






27 




7 




4 


2 


2 






22 


20 






23 


2 


1 




5 


5 




6 


... 


23 


19 




1 


29 








8 


1 




5 


1 


27 


18 






29 


1 


... 




3 






15 




43 


5 






26 






1 


1 




3 


14 




39 


4 


2 


2 


31 


1 








1 




10 




40 


2 


3 




25 




... 




7 


2 




11 




37 


8 






39 


... 




1 


1 


2 




5 




45 


3 






23 








11 


1 


1 


9 




39 


3 


3 


5 


26 






1 








13 




49 








36 














9 


... 


40 




5 




48 
















... 


48 






... 


35 


2 












8 




37 


4 


4 




25 




1 










21 


1 


38 


2 


8 




42 




1 










2 




40 


4 






22 








1 






22 




38 


2 


5 




19 












1 


25 




37 


5 


3 




29 


1 






1 




1 


15 


1 


40 


7 


1 




6 














38 


1 


37 


8 


... 




25 






1 


3 


4 


5 


7 




36 


9 




3 


17 


1 


1 


1 


5 


5 




12 




30 


14 


1 


1 


15 




1 




4 


4 




23 




at 


1 A. 




N. 


N.E. 


E. 


S.E. 


N.W. 


W. 


S.W. 


S. 


Calm. 


Variable 


Clear. 


Hazy. 


Cloudy. 


12 


663 


8 


16 


5 


59 


36 


22 


270 


4 








9 


567 


5 


5 


2 


112 


27 


18 


331 


19 


913 


144 


38 


23 


669 


19 


8 


4 


38 


30 


28 


274 


5 


880 


194 


2 4 { 



Observations. 



1 sirocco (E.S.E ) on 

Jan. 31st. 
Therm, rarely shows 26°. 

1 rain on the 6 th. 

7 rains: 3 the 1 8th, 3 the 
19th, and 1 the 24th. 

7 rains on the 9th, 11th, 
14th, and 15th. 

3 rains, on the 22nd, 24th, 
and 28th respectively. 

1 rain on the 1st. 

1 shower on the 23rd. 
1 shower on the 5th. 



1 sirocco on the 27th at 
8 p.m. 



showers on the 24th 
and 30th respectively, 
rains on 6th ; 2 storms 
on 7th and 13th re- 
spectively, 
rains on 23rd and 24th 
respectively, 
rains on 4th, 5th, 6th 
10th, and 11th respec^ 
tively. 

rains on 24th,25th, 26th, 
and 31st respectively 



Total : 2 siroccos and 41 

rains or showers. 
Last shower May 5th. 
First shower Aug. 24th. 
2 storms. 



[1 storm 
26 rains or showers and 

42 rains or showers ; 11 

storms; 1 sirocco. 
Ther. rarely marked 30' 



or N.N.W., sometimes stormy, with a clear sky. When it pointed below these figures the wind 
ranged from W. S.W. to S.S E., with a cloudy sky. The index at 750° was accompanied by 
rain and wind. When it pointed lower, still worse weather was indicated. 



332 



APPENDIX. 



may be added to the number. Dr. Thevenin believes that 
phthisis never originates in the place. However, Dr. Despine, 
who preceded him, duriDg a residence of thirteen months met 
with five cases. One was that of a Jew from London, the 
second was a negro from Timbuctoo, the third was an Arab 
from the mountains, and all three were suffering from the 
disease when they came to Mogador, but he considered that 
the two remaining cases became phthisical in the town 
itself. My own limited experience allows me to say that 
phthisis must be of extremely rare occurrence. Out of the 
large number of cases in which I was consulted, or that passed 
under my inspection, one only, that of a young Jew, presented 
phthisical symptoms, and he had resided abroad. This is 
the more remarkable because in the adjoining country of 
Algiers indigenous phthisis is common, and in some parts of 
Mogador, the factors supposed to be mainly productive of 
phthisis are in full operation, namely, over-crowded and un- 
ventilated dwellings, want of drainage, constant intermarriages, 
and bad food. Has the peculiar saline impregnation of the 
atmosphere to do with this happy exemption ? 

I am indebted to an article in the Marseille Medical, 
" Mogador et son Climat," for some of the statements on this 
subject. Dr. Seux, the author, is Medecin en Chef des Hopitaux 
de Marseille, Professeur a l'Ecole de Medecin, &c. After 
passing in review the advantages and disadvantages of the 
several climates of Egypt, Algiers, Cannes, Nice, Mentone, 
Pau, Hyeres, Amelie les Bains, Vernet, Venice, Pisa, Rome, 
Naples, Palermo, Malaga, and Madeira, Dr. Seux expresses 
his belief that Mogador will prove superior to all. He says, 
speaking of phthisis, " Les climats qui conviennent le mieux 
aux personnes en proie a cette maladie sont ceux ou les ecarts 
de temperature sont les moins frequents et les moins prononces : 
or il ensemble qu'a ce point de vue, Mogador l'emporte sur 
toutes les stations connues." He says elsewhere : u Convaincu 
que Mogador offrait un climat qui n'avait peut-etre pas son egal 



APPENDIX. 



333 



dans le monde, j'ai cru devoir ecrire ce que je savais sur ce 
pays, comme je Pai fait pour d'autres sujets chaque fois que 
j'ai entrevu la possibilite d'etre utile a mes semblables ; utile, 
si je puis, telle a toujours ete ma devise." 

A paper has just appeared in the Bulletin de la Societe de 
Geographie (Paris, Octobre, 1875), " Climat de Mogador, et 
de son Influence sur la Phthisie," par le Dr. C. Ollive, in 
which the superiority of that climate to others is incontestably 
proved. 

I 

C. 

DISTANCES AND ELEVATIONS OF VAKIOTTS STATIONS 

BETWEEN MOGADOR AND THE CITY OF MOROCCO. 

The only mode of measuring distances in Morocco is by time. 
The pace of a good mule is very uniform, and at the rate of 
about four miles an hour. I made careful observations as to 
time on the journey between Mogador and Morocco city, and 
the results are here given in English miles. The time occupied 
by the journey, excluding all stoppages, namely, thirty-two hours 
and twenty minutes, agrees remarkably with that previously 
noted on the same journey by M. Beaumier, namely, thirty-two 
hours and fifteen minutes, although he travelled on horseback. 

I also made a number of observations on the elevation of 
the country by means of an accurate aneroid barometer, by 
Carey, carefully adjusted by Commander George, of the Royal 
Geographical Society, to whom I am indebted for other acts of 
kindness in relation to this work. It is to be observed, as 
bearing upon the question of accuracy, that the barometer was 
scarcely affected at all by weather during the journey. 

The distances and heights are shown by the accompanying 
diagram. In estimating distances one-third of a mile is taken 
as the unit, and twenty-five feet in the measurement of heights. 



Heights 
above 
sea-level. 

Mogador, sea level. 
£q Sandhills as far as this. 
^ White broom. Wooded country. 
© Lar' Arta. 



cc Wooded country. 

Or 



a> o 




g Klatta L'Halsan. 



© 

^ Palmettoes. 



Broom. 

o 



1^. ^ The plain of Morocco (so called) begins 
IF © after this elevation. 



O O 

! § 




^ Ain O'Must. 



^ M 11 Rah L'Wassa. 

£J Sidra shrub, no trees. Stony ground. 



£J Seshoua river, curious hills. 
§ Sidra shrub. 



g Ain El Beeda. 
© 



* Lieut. Washington, 
R.N. made the eleva- 
tion of Morocco 1450 
feet. " Journal of Royal 
Geographical Society," 
vol. i. p. 141. 




oo Mshra ben Kara. 
© Sidra replaced by another shrub. 



<=> Palm-trees. 
K Morocco. 



APPENDIX. 



335 



D. 

THE TRADE OF MOROCCO. 

British traders in Morocco are as a rule dissatisfied with their 
lot. They complain that the policy of our representative is to 
obstruct instead of encouraging trade. They allege that in the 
case of claims and disputes arising between themselves and 
the natives, it is sometimes better to submit to injustice 
than to incur the vexatious delays to which they would be 
subjected in the Consular Courts. On the other hand, it is 
pretty generally admitted that Sir John Drummond Hay 
is courteous and conciliating to those with whom he comes in 
contact. He is probably taxed with much that should be 
placed to the account of a stupid and fanatical government, 
while Englishmen probably expect him to treat the Moors 
with a light-handedness from which he recoils. One hears it 
said that the representatives of other nations, and especially of 
Spain, would in such and such a case have made short work, 
and carried the day instead of losing it. It is alleged with 
much truth that Moorish law left to itself always takes the 
side of the Moor, whether rightly or wrongly. On this 
account it is held that British influence should be more freely 
exerted to insure justice to British subjects. 

Here is a conversation with a British merchant almost 
verbatim. 

Merchant. — " In this country whenever a dispute arises 
between a Moor and a British subject the latter almost always 
goes to the wall. Moreover, the Moorish Government seem to 
repress all action and enterprise on the part of British traders 
with the sanction of their own Government." 

Author. — " Do you mean to say that if encouraged the 
Moorish Government would be more liberal ? " 

Merchant. — " I do not say encouraged, but permitted. The 
policy of England in Morocco is to prevent the extension of 
trade. There is a numerous class of persons on the coast, not 



336 



APPENDIX. 



British subjects, who, nevertheless, claim their privileges. 
Many of these people, Moors or Jews, live a short time at 
Gibraltar, and on this and other pretexts obtain British 
protection. It is the custom of these men, when involved in 
legal difficulties, to apply to their own Governors and Kadies 
if it suits them to do so. If, on the other hand, they think it 
more to their interest, they claim their rights in the Consular 
Courts. Thus, often to the disadvantage of the British traders, 
they enjoy the protection of two Governments. It is not 
unusual to find a father under the protection of one power, and 
the sons under that of different other powers. Too often these 
protected people are men of no character, who make the 
British name odious. The system of protection tends in this 
way to destroy credit, and is in many ways objectionable. If 
the influence of England was brought to bear on the Sultan's 
Government as it might be, it would soon find it to be its 
interest to encourage trade." 

Author. — " Can you give an instance of the repression of 
trade on the part of England ? " 

Merchant. — " Many. Here is one. During the cotton 
famine several merchants obtained cotton seed from the Cotton 
Supply Association, and distributed it among the Moors. Soon 
afterwards all British subjects were warned by their repre- 
sentative that as they could not hold land, neither could they 
grow cotton in conjunction with natives except at their own 
risk. In other words, the interests of British growers would 
not be protected in any way. This was equivalent to pro- 
hibition, and thus one of the most promising countries for the 
growth of this staple article was shut out. 

" Here is one more instance. An order appeared some time 
back on the walls of certain of the coast towns, forbidding 
British subjects from leaving the precincts of the towns except 
at their own risk. The effect of this was to prevent merchants 
from looking after their creditors as previously. There have 
been several cases of late years in which attacks have been 



APPENDIX. 



337 



made on British subjects, and some have been dangerously 
wounded. In no case has any reparation been obtained." 

Such are the allegations made by the Anglo-Moors. Some 
of their grievances are real enough, and their whole case 
would seem to require investigation. And if investigated it 
would probably be found that there are, as usual, two sides to 
the story. For example, in the matter of the projected cotton- 
growing, nothing is said about the rate of interest sometimes 
charged to Moors on money advanced for such enterprises, and 
if reports are true the less said on the subject the better. 

Trade between England and Morocco has greatly increased 
since 1856, when a treaty of peace and convention of commerce 
between the two countries was signed. Before that year trade 
was a monopoly in the hands of a few favoured individuals. 
The grain trade was especially affected by restrictions. Grain 
could only be exported by special permission of the sultan to 
any merchant whom he wished to favour. The trade in 
cereals, which was very limited previous to the treaty, has 
become the staple trade of the country. 

The average yearly value of foreign imports in eleven years, 
from 1845 to 1855 inclusive, was 315,709/., of which 240,910/. 
represented the value of goods imported from Great Britain 
and Gibraltar. The average yearly value of exports in the 
same period was 400,875/., of which produce to the value of 
203,188/. was sent to Great Britain and Gibraltar. The 
average yearly value of imports in eleven years, from 1861 to 
1871, amounted to 811,805/., of which 656,443/. were from 
Great Britain and Gibraltar ; and the average yearly value of 
exported produce was 767,741/., of which 469,552/. went to 
England and to Gibraltar. 

These figures show that the trade of Morocco during the 
latter eleven years was more than double what it was during 
an equal period before the treaty, and that the English trade 
forms more than two-thirds of the entire trade. 

The treaty was not concluded until December, 1856, but its 

Z 



338 



APPENDIX. 



principles were admitted and acted upon during 1855. The 
increase shown to have taken place during the latter series of 
years would have been much greater except for the failure of 
crops from drought, extending from the year 1867 to 1870 
inclusive, which caused a prohibition to be placed on the 
export of grain during this long period. 

The development of trade led to the establishment of lines 
of steamers between England and Morocco. The Board of 
Trade returns of British exports and imports, however, do not 
indicate the full amount of trade with Morocco, because a 
large portion of the trade is carried on indirectly through 
Gibraltar. 

Wheat and barley are unfortunately not allowed to be ex- 
ported from Morocco. The late sultan permitted the export 
for a short time, but the year afterwards a famine occurred, 
which was attributed by the priests and court bigots to the 
displeasure of God for allowing the wheat of true believers to 
go to feed the infidel. Only beans and peas, millet, maize, 
and canary-seed are exported. But the duty charged on 
these articles amounts to more than one-third their respective 
values, so that in addition to other taxes the farmer in this way 
sacrifices one-third of his produce to the public treasury. 
Nothing, however, would be more difficult than to persuade 
the sultan that by lowering the duty the revenue would be 
increased by the expansion of trade. The duty on all im- 
ported goods is limited by treaty to 10 per cent, ad valorem. 

From what has been already said of the persistent way in 
which the spirit of industry is crushed out of the people it is 
impossible that commerce should flourish in Morocco. It is 
wonderful that trade has increased even in the degree detailed. 
Mr. White, our Consul at Tangier, on whose authority the 
foregoing statements are made, concludes his Report on British 
trade with Morocco, dated November 19th, 1872, with the 
following wise remarks : — 

" In Morocco the foreign representatives reside at a distance 



APPENDIX. 



339 



from the capitals of the empire, and but seldom, some indeed 
never, see the sultan or any of his ministers, with the exception 
of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who resides for the chief 
part of the year at Tangier for the transaction of business with 
foreign powers. As long as the absence of personal inter- 
course between the representatives of foreign powers and the 
sultan and his court continues to exist, it is hopeless to expect 
any useful reforms in the Government, or any considerable 
extension of trade or the introduction of civilization into the 
country. It is even to be feared that the recent withdrawal 
of paid consular officers at the outports will have an unfavour- 
able effect upon commerce, such at least is the opinion of those 
most interested, namely the merchants themselves, who urge, 
not without reason, that consular officers, occupying the inde- 
pendent position which they can only enjoy when paid by their 
Government and restricted from trade, are far more necessary 
in a country like Morocco, where justice is the exception and 
not the rule, and every kind of abuse exists, than in more 
civilized countries, where the tribunals and the authorities of 
the land can be trusted to do justice to the foreigner, even 
without the intervention of a consul appointed especially to 
assist and protect him." 

The following tables, taken from the Consular Reports for 
various years, ending 1871, show that the trade of the country 
has made but little progress within the periods indicated. 

The different articles of export have been arranged under 
seven heads by Mr. Cruickshank, of Glasgow. The details 
are too irregular to allow of comparison between the exports 
of each article in the different years. Thus ostrich feathers 
are quoted in cases in two years, and subsequently in cwts.; 
wool is quoted in bales for 1865, and afterwards in cwts.; 
woollen stuffs are given in pieces for three years, and in bales 
for two years. Moreover the values are not stated for each 
year. 

Z 2 



340 



APPENDIX. 



Comparative view of the number of vessels and tonnage that 
entered the various ports of Morocco from 1864 to 1871 : — 



Shipping- op all Nations. British Shipping. 





Vessels. 


Tonnage. 


Vessels. 


Tonnage. 


1864 . . . 


1108 


122,950 


536 


82,467 






115,276 


447 


77,008 


1866 . . . 


... 1038 


120,876 


487 


69,752 






123,526 


517 


73,208 






103,738 


405 


56,924 




1101 


170,526 


545 


87,360 






161,196 


540 


88,275 


1871 . . . 


. .. 1307 


201,367 


617 


108,702 



Exports peom Morocco. Imports to Morocco. 





Tot. value 


Value of Exports 


Tot. value 


Value of Imports 




of 


to Gt. Britain 


of 


from Gt. Britain 




Exports. 


and Gibraltar. 


Imports. 


and Gibraltar. 


1864.. 


£797,930 


£484,423 


£709,920 


£590,736 


1865.. 


.. 882,931 


577,296 


1,007,177 


866,479 


1866.. 


.. 840,595 


475,456 


926,028 


750,680 


1867.. 


.. 616,988 


347,869 


899,060 


714,560 


1868.. 


.. 511,714 


305,826 


845,610 


674,942 


1869.. 


.. 703,330 


446,834 


722,756 


592,079 


1870.. 


.. 627,368 


411,930 


677,294 


575,121 


1871.. 


.. 913,261 


521,234 


781,051 


624,878 



Exports prom Morocco, 1865—1871. 
raw material — animal. 









Quantity. 


Value. 




. . 1868 


Lbs. 


27 .. 


£600 




..1869 




65 


1300 




..1870 


j> 


100 


2000 






Cwt. 


434 


817 








359 


620 




. . 1871 




624 


1,093 








5572 










8464 








» 


15,975 


30,946 






}> 


19,900 


38,075 






)> 


21,393 


58,580 






3> 


18,522 


39,243 








6260 raw 


15,445 








250 tanned . 


1000 


Ostrich Feathers . . 


..1865 


Cases, 


102 




)> » • • 


..1866 




52 




» t> • • 


..1867 


Cwt. 


26i . . 


10,500 


» 5> • • 


..1868 




34 


12,200 




. . 1869 




56£ .. 


17,800 




1870 




62 


23,200 


>> J> • • 


- - 1871 




59 


17,700 








3706 








Doz. 


102,122 










67,749 


54,617 



APPENDIX. 



341 



Skins— Goat 1868 



, 1870 

„ 1871 

Skins— Sheep 1868 

„ 1870 

1871 

Wax 1865 

„ 1866 

„ 1867 

„ 1868 

„ 1869 

„ 1870 



„ J-O/l 

Wool 1865 

Wool— Washed 1866 

...1867 

, 1868 

....1869 
....1870 
....1871 

„ In grease 1866 

....1867 
....1868 
....1869 
....1870 
, 1871 



Eggs 1867 

„ 1868 

„ 1869 

„ 1870 

„ 1871 

Fowls 1867 

1868 

1869 

1870 

„ 1871 

Meat 1867 

1868 

1869 

1870 

1871 

Oxen 1867 

1868 

1869 

1870 

„ 1871 

Leeches 1867 

„ 1868 

„ 1870 



Beans 1865 

1866 



Value. 
£46,410 
91,927 
44,552 
111,465 
757 
2,269 
2,922 



30,924 
24,307 
34,001 
37,549 
18,273 



51,073 
48,394 
28,508 
35,476 
22,174 

115,418 
76,325 
141,398 
133,612 
152,287 



FOOD, &C. 

Doz. 513,333 .. .. 12,334 

474,872 .. .. 11,585 

426,875 .. .. 10,235 

425,375 .. .. 10,877 

766,166 .. .. 12,684 

9628 .. .. 4817 

11,340 .. .. 5670 

9222 .. .. 4362 

11,106 .. .. 7328 

11,446 .. .. 5680 

Cwt. 6480 .. .. 9720 

5670 .. .. 8505 

5600 .. .. 8400 

4645 .. .. 6967 

— .. .. 10,021 

Head 4403 .. .. 22,015 

4397 .. .. 21,985 

4318 .. 17,272 

4740 .. .. 18,960 

5262 .. 25,810 

4,960,000 .. .. 1984 

2,510,000 .. .. 1204 

„ 2,250,000 .. .. 900 



CEBEALS. 

Cwt. 42,020 
50,070 





Quantity. 


Doz. 


58,033 


>> 


113,267 




37,137 


j> 


88,459 




5810 


» 


2144 




2118 


Cwt. 


5476 


» 


4480 


>> 


4779 




4408 




3617 
4969 


„ 

Bales, 


2889 
25,180 


Cwt. 


5737 


„ 


12,957 




13,753 


» 


7573 




11,099 




5683 


j> 


55,885 




43,942 


}> 


37,930 




59,023 




66,953 




50,028 



342 



APPENDIX. 



Quantity. Value. 

Beans 1867 Cwt. 9926 .. .. £15,987 

1869 „ 2700 .. .. 4920 

„ 1871 „ 41,685" .. .. 56,660 

Canary Seed 1865 „ 17,842 .. .. — 

„ 1866 3, 21,838 .. .. — 

„ 1867 „ 7971 .. .. 2390 

„ 1868 „ 6670 .. .. 4024 

„ 1869 „ 81,967 .. .. 40,412 

„ 1870 „ 86,465 .. .. 38,485 

„ 1871 „ 23,661 .. .. 9477 

Cumin Seed 1867 „ 2360 .. .. 2081 

„ 1868 „ 10,890 .. .. 4021 

„ 1870 „ 1183 .. .. 2742 

„ 1871 „ 560 .. 2140 

Linseed 1868 „ 1040 .. 640 

„ 1870 „ 578 354 

Maize 1865 Qrs. 42,630 .. .. — 

1866 „ 49,281 .. .. — 

1867 „ 25,820 .. .. 39,386 

1871 „ 152,444 .. .. 185,468 

Millet, or Durrha ..1871 Cwt. 3760 .. .. 740 
Peas (Chick), or Gar- 

banza.,1865 Qrs. 12,636 .. .. — 

„ ..1866 „ 7534 .. .. — 

„ ..1867 „ 11,095 .. .. 19,758 

„ . 1869 „ 514 .. 1239 

„ ..1871 „ 9386 .. .. 12,513 

RAW MATERIAL — VEGETABLE. 

Cork 1871 Pks. 721 .. .. 1335 

Cotton 1866 Bales. 180 .. — 

Esparto Grass 1871 „ 38,775 .. .. 7752 

Gum 1865 Cwt. 13,252 .. .. — 

„ 1866 „ 5290 .. .. — 

„ 1867 „ 4615 .. .. 18,418 

„ 1868 „ 3525 .. .. 13,285 

„ 1869 „ 8260 .. .. 32,168 

„ 1870 „ 9758 .. .. 33,077 

Henna 1869 „ 835 .. 980 

„ 1870 „ 1014 .. .. 1406 

„ 1871 „ 1089 .. .. 1044 

Oil 1865 „ 98,854 .. .. — 

„ 1866 „ 42,780 .. .. — 

„ 1867 „ 12,689 .. 35,924 

„ ...1868 „ 13,755 .. .. 35,092 

„ 1869 „ 40,164 .. \. 100,398 

„ 1870 „ 28,905 .. .. 65,492 

„ 1871 „ 30,332 .. .. 61,380 

Rags 1869 „ 750 .. 713 

„ 1871 „ 232 .. 591 

ERTJIT. 

Almonds 1865 Cwt. 30,957 .. .. — 

1866 „ 11,564 .. .. — 

1867 „ 10,923 .. .. 59,667 







APPENDIX. 


343 








Quantity. 


Value. 






Cwt. 


17,688 


£45,351 






„ 


24,812 


o7,boo 








24,737 


71,045 






„ 


36,453 


88,673 






„ 


3748 . . 


•• 






„ 


4183 


" * -i nr* 








5602 


11,026 








4235 


. . OWo 








3548 


. * bUZo 








2851 


571Z 








6921 


13,815 








1,252,000 


750 








1,373,000 


550 








1,220,000 


812 




1871 


Not detailed. 


894 






MANTTFACTTTEES. 








Pieces 


180 


740 






Bales 


42 


looO 






>» 


634 


. . — - 


c;i 




>> 


2712 








Pairs 


329,000 


47,156 






» 


232,749 


49,273 








151,000 


2Z,boO 








174,800 


ok cvnti 

JiO,v7b 






Doz. 


17,206 


31,420 


Woollen bashes 


.... 1867 


» 


15,750 


2520 


»> )> 


. . . . 1868 




16,650 


OQAA 

ZoUu 


» j> 


. . . . 1869 


Bales 


120 


. . 4840 




. . . . 1870 


Doz. 


2167 


4160 


Woollen Stuffs , . 


. . . . 1867 


Pieces 


11,750 


5880 


39 if 


1868 




17,316 


9550 


» » 


....1869 


Bales 


87 .. 


4400 


)> >} 


1870 


Pieces 


6200 


3300 


» J> 


• • • • io/ 1 


Bales 


240 


id* Ann 




EAW 


MATEEIAL 


— MINEEAL. 






....1868 


Tins 


14 


2400 


J> )> • • • • 


....1869 




15 


3000 




....1870 


» 


17 .. 


5786 








33 


2500 



Accounts are kept in mitcals (ducats). The mitcal is a 
fictitious value, which is made up of ten okeas (ounces) ; the 
ounce is divided into four mozounas; the mozouna into six 
nous. But commercial payments are generally made in five- 
franc pieces, computed at 32J ounces each, as fixed by a 
decree of the Sultan. The change of the five- franc piece 
nevertheless ranges at times as high as 36 ounces. 



344 



APPENDIX. 



The following coins are current in the city of Morocco : — 

Five-franc 

pieces. £ s. d. 

Gold doubloon, Spanish ... = 17 =380 

„ twenty-franc piece, French = 4 = 16 

„ bendequi, Moorish ... = 2 =080 

Ounces. 

Silver piastre, Spanish ... = 34^ = 043 

„ five-franc piece, French . = 32J = 04 

„ Spanish piece .... = 7 =00 10| 

„ franc, French .... = 6| = 9| 

There are also Moorish ' silver coins in circulation, of the 
respective values of 4, 2\ 9 2, If, and 1 ounce. All these, with 
the exception of the 2J-ounce pieces, are depreciated below 
their nominal values. The copper coinage consists of flous, 
24 of which make up the ounce, and pieces of 2 and 4 flous. 

Almonds, dates, raisins, and henna are sold by the cantar 
(quintal) of 170 Moorish pounds ; wax by the cantar of 150 
pounds ; wool, gums, and leather by the cantar of 100 pounds : 
100 Moorish pounds are equivalent to 119 English pounds. 
Oil is measured by the kolla, which is equivalent to about 
7| gallons. Wheat, barley, beans, and other grain are sold 
by the aroba. The aroba is equal to about 3| fanegas ; the 
fanega is divided into measures of i, 5, J, T V> and Many 
of the towns and almost every principal market have mea- 
sures of capacity which differ from those of others. 

The kala, nearly equal to the English yard, is used for 
measuring woven tissues. The gamma, or fathom, serves as 
the measure in sinking wells and other purposes. 



APPENDIX. 



345 



E. 

THE DRUGS IN USE AMONGST THE MOORS. 
The Moors employ a large number of drugs medicinally ; 
and as very little was known about them, I made an extensive 
collection of specimens. The information obtained by this 
means was communicated to the Pharmaceutical Society in a 
paper read before that body, and published in their journal. 
The list of these drugs and, when possible, of the plants from 
which they were derived, together with the scientific names of 
the plants, is reproduced here revised and extended. I was 
assisted in the work of revision by Mr. E. Holmes, the able 
Curator of the Pharmaceutical Society's Museum. Care has 
been taken to give the native names as correctly as possible in 
English. These names appear to be in the great majority of 
cases peculiar to Morocco, and many are derived from the 
Shluh language. Very few of them correspond with the 
Arabic names of the same drugs as given in books. 

The collection was made at the coast towns visited, and 
also at the city of Morocco, but chiefly at Mogador. Here I was 
mainly indebted for additions to my collection, as well as for 
much information about them, to Signor Yusef Elmaleh, Jewish 
High Priest, and to his son, Signor Reuben Elmaleh. In 
every case possible the leaves and flowers of the respective 
vegetable productions were obtained for the purpose of identi- 
fication. In the instances in which these were not available, 
it was impossible to refer the drugs to their natural orders 
and species. It is believed that what has been done will 
prove interesting to the scientific reader, and useful to future 
inquirers in the same field. 

LEAVES, FLOWEES, AND PLANTS. 
Malvaceae. 

Khubbaizah. — Malva parviflora, L. — The whole herb. The 
name Khubbaizah appears also to include other species of the 



346 



APPENDIX. 



Malvacece, as the specimen also contained Lavatera hispida, 
Desf. Khubbaizah is used as a demulcent in catarrh. 

RlTTACEiE. 

Ruta. — Ruta angustifolia, Pers. — Rue. Carried about the 
person as a safeguard against infection. Given for nervous- 
ness, &c. 

Leguminos^e. 

Senaharam. — Cassia elongata, Lemaire Lisancourt. — Senna. 
Stated to be brought to Morocco by the pilgrims returning 
from Mecca. This is confirmed by the fact that the specimen 
is identical with Mecca senna, imported via India into this 
country. Used as a purgative. 

Artim. — Retama ratam, Nob. — This shrub forms a feature of 
the landscape. In many places it covers thousands of acres 
of sandy soil, to the exclusion of almost every other plant. 
Its white flowers in spring diffuse a strong and agreeable 
odour. At Mogador, the name " Artim " appears to be 
restricted to this species, but some dried flowers from Tangier, 
under the same name, include also, Genista candicans, L., and 
G. linifolia, L. "Artim" is probably, therefore, a generic 
name for several leguminous plants used as food for cattle. 

The bitter roots of Retama rwtam are said to be used by the 
Arabs for internal pains, and the shoots macerated in water 
are applied to wounds. The shoots much resemble in appear- 
ance those of Sarothamnus scoparius, but are slenderer, more 
branched, and the branchlets are longer. 

Crassulace^:. 

Ghassoul. — The structure of the fruit, which is mixed up 
with the stalks and leaves, is evidently that of some calycifloral 
plant, with a half-inferior ovary, nearly allied to the genus 
Mesembryanthemum, but we have not yet succeeded in identi- 
fying the species. Used instead of soap for cleaning woollen 
clothes. 

Illecebrace^:. 
Haydorley. — Paronychia argentea, D. C. — Flowers used as 
a diaphoretic, and also for abdominal pain. 



APPENDIX. 



347 



Myrtace^e. 

Kahan. — Myrtus communis, L. — Myrtle leaves. The in- 
fusion is used for diarrhoea. The leaves are also employed by 
the Jews in their ceremonies. 

Composite. 

Shech. — Artemisia Aragonensis, Lam. — Tops. Barbary 
worm-seed. Used in infusions for colds, and also in fumi- 
gation for small-pox, &c. It is exported to Holland to make 
" bitters." Barbary worm-seed was considered by Guibourt 
to be the produce of Artemisia glomerata, Sieber. 1 

Shibah del agooz. (Trans. Old man's beard).— Artemisia 
absinthum, L. — Wormwood. Used in dyspepsia, and also for 
giving flavour to green tea. 

Babnoose. — Matricaria chamomilla, L. — A species of 
Chamomile. Used as a stomachic. 

Asbardiv — Kleinia pteroneura, D. C. — The green stem. 
These curio§|. cactus-like stems belong to a composite plant 
nearly allied to the common groundsel. 

The stem is about the thickness of the fore-finger, leafless, 
except at the top, where there is a rosette of leaves, furrowed 
externally, and has a large discoid pith ; the branches are 
nearly equal in size, quite erect, and parallel with the stem, 
and remind one of a candelabra with a number of candles in it. 

It is used externally for "pains in the hands and feet," 
(rheumatism ?). 

Gentianace^e. 
Oust el heeah, or, Noar Muley All (Trans. Muley Ali's 
Flower.) — Erythrcea ramosissima, Pers. — Tops, &c. Closely 
allied to gentian. Used for indigestion. 

Labiat^e. 

Helhal. — Lavandula stwchas, L. — Tops, &c. Used as a 
stomachic. 

Murroot. — Marrubium vulgare, L. — Common Horehound. 
Variety, /3. lanatum. — Tops. Used as an external application 
in small-pox and in haemorrhoids. 

1 Pereira's Mat. Med. Art. Artemisia. 



348 



APPENDIX. 



Flayu. — Mentha pulegium, L. — Penny-royal. Flowers, &c. 
The infusion is used for flatulence and abdominal pain. 

Timzah. — Mentha rotundifolia, L. — Round-leafed mint. 
Tops. Used for diarrhoea. 

Zater. — Origanum compactum, Bth. — Marjoram. Flowers. 
The infusion is used to promote digestion. It was formerly 
exported to Holland in large quantities. It is also much used 
by the Moors for flavouring tea. 

Azeer. — Rosmarinus officinalis, L. — Rosemary. Whole 
plant. Used for fumigation in small-pox, &c. 

Murroot Yurb. — Salvia triloba, L. — A kind of sage. 
Leaves. This plant probably owes its Moorish name to its 
resemblance (having a woolly stem and leaves) to Marrubium 
vulgare. It is used as an application to wounds. 

Sadeeah. — Teucrum polium, L. — Tops. Used in colic, &c. 
A nearly-allied species, Teucrum montanum, L., known under 
the name of Polymountain, appeared in the London Pharma- 
copoeia as late as 1763. 

Taserkennah. — Thymus vulgaris, L.- — A variety which has 
the leaves more tapered towards the base than in the form 
which occurs in this country. Tops. Used as a stomachic. 

Urticace^e. 
Hebika. — Parietaria officinalis, L. — Pellitory. 

Cannabinace^:. 
Kief. — Cannabis sativa, W. — Hemp. Whole plant. It is 
grown largely in the provinces of Haha and Shedma. The 
right of dealing in it and in tobacco is monopolized by the 
Emperor. These monopolies are farmed to Jews, who buy at 
a price fixed by law, and sell at an enormously-advanced 
price. The plants are pulled up when the seed is ripe or 
nearly so ; and the leaves, when dried and coarsely powdered, 
constitute kief. This is smoked in very small pipes, and a few 
inhalations exhausts the contents of the bowl. The smoke is 
taken into the lungs, and produces a powerfully narcotizing 



APPENDIX. 



349 



effect ; but, unlike the preparations of the plant, which are 
swallowed, the effect soon passes away. Some smokers 
indulge their propensity frequently during the day ; yet I have 
been assured by them that, after twenty or thirty years, they 
have not suffered from the practice. 

Hashish, the preparation which is eaten, is too well known, 
from recent descriptions, to require much to be said about it. 
It is made by mixing the powdered leaves with butter, and 
also as a conserve with honey, to which opium is added. 

Aristolochiace.e. 
Iriffa. — Aristolochia species. — Leaves, applied when pounded 
to wounds and bruises. 

FRUITS AND SEEDS. 
Ranunculace^e. 
Htjbras. — Delphinium Staphisagria, L. — Stavesacre. Seeds 
used to destroy vermin. 

Sanous. — Nigella sativa, L. — Seed. It is supposed to be 
the fitches mentioned by Isaiah. Used as a diaphoretic. 

RlJTACE^E. 

Harmel. — Peganwn harmala, L. — Seed. Used in fumiga- 
tion as a disinfectant, and also against the effects of the evil 
eye. 

Rhamnace^e. 

Nabu. — Zizyphus orthocanthus, D. C. — Jujube berries. The 
fruit of the sidra-tree. This tree varies in size from that of a 
small tree to a small shrub, depending upon the soil in which 
it is found. It is widely diffused. The berries are eaten, and 
are commonly sold in the markets of Morocco. The oil of the 
kernel is used as a perfume. 

Legtjminos^. 

Hulbah. — Trigonella fcenum Grcecum, L. — Fenugreek. Taken 
by women to induce fatness, and also given with barley to 
horses. When first taken it purges. 



350 



APPENDIX, 



Cucurbitace^e. 
El Hedja. — Cucumis colocynthis, L. — Fruit. Colocynth is 
an article of export from Mogador. I got a specimen in the 
city of Morocco, which, instead of being of a yellow colour, 
was of bright green with numerous yellow streaks made up of 
more or less irregular patches, which marked it into segments. 
It was probably only a variety. Colocynth is used as a 
purgative by the Moors. They also keep the broken gourd 
amongst their woollen clothes when put away, to keep off moths. 

Umbellifer^e. 

Carwia. — Carum carui, L. — Caraway seed. It is grown 
largely in the neighbourhood of Larache, and is shipped at 
Tangier in sugar casks and serons, but chiefly in bags to 
England and America. It is also produced round the city of 
Morocco. At Mogador, where it is rarely shipped, it is called 
Fez caraway seed. One cannot help being surprised at finding 
this cold climate plant a product of Morocco. 

Cumin. — Cuminum cyminum,Jj. — Cumin seed. This is grown 
largely in the interior provinces of Ahmar and Rahamna. The 
Jews mix it in their bread. It is exported to America, and 
also to the Canary Islands, where it is used in preserving 
tunny fish. 

Naffa. — Fceniculum dulce, C. Bauh. junior. — Fennel seed. 
This is used for flavouring mahaya, a spirit obtained from the 
water in which honeycombs are boiled in preparing bees' wax, 
and from other sources, as previously described. 

Sapotace^e. 

Argan. — Argania sideroxylon, Roem. et Sch. — Seed. The 
oil expressed from the nuts is in general use for cooking. 
Fowls and other articles of diet are served up soaked in this 
oil, which is preferred by some Europeans to olive oil. But 
such greasy food is very distasteful to most stomachs. It is 
customary to allow it to simmer over a fire with a piece of 
bread in it to remove its pungent taste, and this process is also be- 
lieved to obviate a supposed tendency of the oil to cause leprosy. 



APPENDIX. 



351 



Goats, sheep, and cows eat the fleshy part of the argan fruit 
freely, and the nuts are then laboriously broken with stones in 
order to extract the kernels. These are first partially roasted 
and then ground in a handmill. The oil is extracted from the 
meal by working it with the hands, and water is added to the 
mass as seems necessary. 2 

PL ANT AGIN ACE^E. 

Zurktonah. — Plantago psyllium, L. — Seed. Used as a 
demulcent in fevers and in colds. 

EUPHORBIACE^E. 

Habtmlek. — Croton tiglium, W. — Croton oil seed. The 
Moors use the seeds as a strong purgative, and I found that 
they are well known in the interior of the country. But I was 
not able to satisfy myself that Croton tiglium grows in Morocco. 
The seeds were stated by the Moor who gave them to me to 
be JRomi, i. e. European. 

Castor. — Ricinus communis, L. — Castor oil seed. The 
plant is abundant about Sam, and attains to the dimensions of a 
small tree. The oil is not expressed by the Moors, but the 
seed itself appears to be used as a purgative. 

ZlNGIBERACEiE. 

Gooza Sahraweea. — (Trans. Nutmeg of the desert.) — 
Amomum Melagueta, Roscoe. — Grains of Paradise. The drug 
is brought to Morocco by the caravans from the interior. The 
Grain Coast of Western Africa takes its name from the pro- 
fusion of Amomum Melgueta which it produces. It is used as 
a sexual stimulant and also as a spice with meat, and mixed in 
bread. 

BOOTS. 

ClSTACE^E. 

Ipherscul. — Cistus salvifolius, L.— It has an earthy and 
slightly aromatic taste. It is given for palpitation of the heart 
and nervousness. 

2 See page 93. 



352 APPENDIX. 

Leguminos^e. 

Ark Sus. — (Trans. The root of Sus.) — Glycyrrhiza species. 
— Liquorice. Used for coughs and chest affections. Grows in 
great abundance in the southern province of Sus. 

Fuely. — Astragalus eriophaca, Ball. — Identified by Dr. 
Ball, who has been lately engaged in examining the flora of 
Morocco. The taste of the root is saltish ; it is used when 
pounded as an application to wounds. 

Illecebrace^e. 
Tauserghint. — Corrigiola teleiifolia, Pour. — Externally the 
root is pale brown and twisted, rather knotty at the top, more 
or less fusiform, from a quarter to half an inch in diameter, 
and from two to four inches long. Its internal appearance is 
very characteristic. The transverse section is of a yellowish 
white colour, with 3-5 concentric rings, which have a horny and 
translucent appearance. The taste is acrid, causing a tingling 
sensation like that produced by Senega. The grated root is 
mixed in bread to induce fatness. Leo Africanus says con- 
cerning " Tauzarghente : " " This root, growing in the west- 
erne part of Africa upon the Ocean seashore, yeeldeth a 
fragrant and odoriferous smel, and the merchants of Mauritania 
carry the same into the land of Negros, where the people use 
it for a most excellent perfume, and yet they neither burne it 
nor put any fire at all thereto ; for being kept only in an house, 
it yeeldeth a naturalle sent of itselfe. In Mauritania they sell 
a bunche of these rootes for halfe a ducate, which being carried 
to the land of Negros is sold again for eightie or one hundred 
ducates, and sometimes for more." The root received is not 
so powerfully odorous as represented by Leo Africanus ; it has 
a very faint odour, like that of orris-root. 

Rubiace^e. 

Fooah. — Rubia species. — A kind of madder root. Infusion 
used for diarrhoea, and as an emmenagogue. It is also applied 
to sore eyes. 



APPENDIX. 



353 



Plumbaginace^e. 
Tafrifa. — Statice mucronota, L. — A sea lavender. The 
taste of the root is saltish and pungent. It is supposed to 
strengthen the nerves. 

Scrophularice^:. 
Emsleh-en-der. — Verbascum sinuatum, L. — The root is 
ground very fine, and placed under the eyelids as a cure for 
ophthalmia. 

ElJPHORBIACEiE. 

Waskeeza. — Euphorbia terracina, L. — A spurge. This 
root is used as an emetic. 

Zingiberace^e. 
Kedilsham. — Alpinia galanga, Swartz. — Galanga. Infusion 
of the root used in urethral discharges. 

LlLIACE^E. 

Ablaltjz. — Asphodelus ramosa. — Moench. 

B'selt-deeb. (Trans. Jackal's Onion.) — Scilla maritima, 
L., or Scilla Indica, L. — This, when boiled in oil, is highly 
esteemed as an aphrodisiac. 

Iridace^:. 

Amber-el-dor. — Iris Germanica, L. — Orris root. It comes 
in large quantities from the city of Morocco to Mogador, 
whence it is shipped to England and France, and of late far 
more extensively than formerly. It bears little more than half 
the price of Florentine orris root. 

Arace^:. 

Irene. — Anisarum vulgare, Hook. — The interest which 
belongs to this plant lies in the circumstance that it yields a 
useful starch. In times of famine, which occasionally happen 
from drought or from a visitation of locusts, the tubers are dug 
up, washed, dried in the sun, and ground between hand mill- 
stones. Without further preparation the meal is then cooked 
by steam, like kuskussoo, the national dish, made of granulated 

A a 



354 



AITENDIX. 



wheaten flour. As happens in the case of the allied plant, 
Arum maculatum, which yields Portland arrow-root, Irene 
tubers contain an acrid poisonous principle which should be 
removed by repeated washings. As this is neglected by the 
Moors, it is not surprising that people who live entirely upon 
such food suffer severely from abdominal pain, and that many 
of them die. When travelling between Saffi and Mazagan in 
the early part of November the ground was in many places 
studded all over with the single leaf of this plant, which had 
then just appeared above ground. I succeeded in bringing 
home some growing plants, which are now flourishing in Kew 
Gardens. The plant has been figured and described from these 
specimens by Dr. Hooker, in Curtis's " Botanical Magazine " for 
March, 1873. 

Not identified. 

Adad. — This is a large, somewhat cylindrical root, more 
than a foot long, and about two inches in diameter. It has a 
crown consisting of several stems, springing from the con- 
tracted upper portion of the root. The radical leaves show 
beyond a doubt that Adad is the root of some species of thistle. 
The transverse section of the root is white and starchy, but 
nevertheless hard and tough, and shows about six ill-defined, 
concentric rings, marked with horny-looking, radiating lines, 
which, under a lens, are seen to consist of vessels containing 
matter resembling caoutchouc. This material has exuded 
from several parts of the root, where it was apparently injured 
in the fresh state. The smell and taste of the root are aromatic. 
Leo Africanus says of Adad : — " The herbe thereof is bitter, 
and the root is so venemous that one drop of the water distilled 
thereout will kill a man within the space of an hower, which 
is commonly knowen even to the women of Africa." The 
drug does not appear to be so poisonous as here stated. It is 
taken for debility and low spirits. 

Tasecra. — This is a large, somewhat woody root, twelve or 



APPENDIX. 



355 



eighteen inches long, two inches or more in diameter at the 
top, much branched, and tapering to half an inch in the 
smaller branches. The cortical portion is brown, spongy, and 
rather thin in proportion, being on the average not more than 
a line in thickness. The meditullium is of a yellowish colour, 
with the concentric rings not visible, and in many of the pieces 
the medullary rays are of an ash-grey colour (perhaps from 
imperfect drying), which gives a distinctly radiate appearance 
to the meditullium. The root is almost tasteless. Attached to 
the root are portions of leaves which appear to belong to some 
species of Carlina or Carduus. It is taken to mitigate thirst. 

Bocbookah. — This root occurs in pieces varying from one- 
third to half-an-inch in diameter, and several inches in length. It 
is dark brown externally, with numerous closely-placed, annular 
ridges and numerous small warts, and is sometimes branched in 
the upper part like dandelion root. The meditullium is large, 
white, and starchy, occupying about two-thirds of the diameter 
of the root. The cortical portion is white internally, and has 
a ring of resinous-looking rays next to the meditullium. The 
taste is insipid. It is used for " pains in the bones " (rheu- 
matism ?). 

Ouden el Helloof. — This consists of a short, prostrate 
rhizome, terminating in a hairy bud, and giving off below a 
tuft of straight, unbranched roots, of a reddish-brown colour, 
about the size of a crow-quill, and finely striated longitudi- 
nally, The odour resembles that of arnica, and the taste is 
aromatic and somewhat acrid. It is taken for strangury. 

Bersmoos. — This root has a thick, brown, spongy, cortical 
portion, and a white, soft, radiate meditullium. It tastes some- 
what like turnip, but without any pungency. The infusion is 
given in fever. 



A a 2 



356 



APPENDIX. 



BARKS. 
Anacakdiace^e. 
Dro. — Pistacia lentiscus, L. — Used in fumigation and also 
for tanning. 

J UGLANDACEiE. 

Swak. — Juglans regia, L. — Walnut bark. Used by the 
Moorish women for staining the lips black. 

EXUDATIONS. 

Umbellifeile. 
Fashook. — Ferula species. — Gum ammoniac. Called Fasoy 
by the European merchants and Keith by the Moors. It is 
abundant in Woled Bu Sba, two days' journey from Mogador, 
on the road to the city of Morocco. It grows very quickly 
after the first autumnal rain. A stalk obtained at Mogador 
was one inch and a quarter in diameter. Before parting with 
it the Moor broke off a portion, intending it, as he said, to 
fumigate his sore eyes. Some roots procured by Signor R. 
Elmaleh were of the size and shape of carrots, of a blackish- 
brown colour, and studded over with numerous warty projec- 
tions. When broken they exuded drops of milky juice which 
formed yellowish-white opaque tears. The taste of this gum 
resin was slightly bitter with considerable acridity. A single 
fennel-like leaf accompanied the roots ; it was evidently the 
leaf of an umbelliferous plant. It was found that the taste of 
this gum resin differed from that of a specimen of African 
ammoniacum in the museum of the Pharmaceutical Society ; 
the latter had no taste at first, but after a time a burning, 
acrid taste was developed, which lasted longer than in the case 
of the gum resin obtained direct from the root. It seems 
probable, therefore, that African ammoniacum is produced 
by more than one species ; some of the roots procured are 
planted both at Kew and at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Lon- 
don, so that one may hope to be soon able to identify the plant 
with certainty. On account of its adhesiveness the gum is 



APPENDIX. 



357 



used by the Moors as a depilatory. The seed, when heated 
over a fire until it becomes glutinous, is used as an application 
in skin diseases. Very little ammoniacum is sent to Europe. 
But a great deal is carried by pilgrims to Egypt and Arabia, 
where it is used for incense. It is chiefly shipped from 
Mazagan to Gibraltar for reshipment to Alexandria ; a little is 
sent from Mogador, and none from the other ports. Pereira 
was of opinion that the Greeks and Romans were unacquainted 
with Persian ammoniacum (the produce of Dorema ammoniacum, 
Don.). The name ammoniacum is stated by Pliny (b. xii. 
chap. 49) to be derived, like that of the oracle of Jupiter 
Ammon, near which the gum was produced, from d/x/xos (sand), 
in reference to the surrounding sandy country. This would 
indicate that it was brought from Lybia, the modern Tripoli. 
The Arabian physician, Serapion, writing at the commence- 
ment of the ninth century, mentions two kinds of ammoniacum, 
the best sort of which was produced from the root of a plant 
found in Crete ; and an inferior kind, of which he says, " Sed 
illud quod continet terram et lapides, nominat chironia et 
defertur a terra quae dicitur Monacon et est succus plantag, 
similis plantie galbani in similitudine sua et nascit ibi." This 
description agrees with the present Morocco product, and 
Monacon may be an early name for that country. It is observ- 
able that Serapion calls ammoniacum " raxach ; " and that 
"assach," " ushak," and " oshac," are severally employed by 
Arabian and Persian writers to designate the gum. These 
approach " fasogh " and " fashook," the modern Moorish 
names. 

EtTPHORBIACEiE. 

Phorbium. — Euphorbium resinifera, Berg. — Euphorbium 
gum. I have little to add about this substance to what is 
already known. It is produced in the inland provinces of 
Deminet and Antife, but the plant is found in other places. 
A plant which grows freely in the neighbourhood of Mogador 
was pointed out to me as that yielding the gum, but it proved 



358 



APPENDIX. 



to be Kleinia pteroneura. A kind of honey from the province 
of Haha is sold in the Mogador market. This when eaten 
causes a burning sensation in the mouth and throat. It is on 
this account regarded as of a heating nature, and like the 
squill is valued as an aphrodisiac. I was assured that these 
properties are due to the euphorbium flowers, from whence 
bees obtain the honey. It calls to mind the intoxicating 
effects of honey, as experienced by some of the ten thousand 
Greeks in their retreat under Xenophon, effects attributed to 
the Azalea Pontica. But poisonous honey is found in various 
countries, and the poison seems due to many different plants. 
The people who pack euphorbium at Mogador wear veils to 
protect themselves from the dust, which is so irritating to the 
eyes and nostrils. Pliny tells us (b. xxv. c. 28) that persons 
engaged in collecting the juice of the euphorbium plant were, 
on account of its acrid nature, obliged to stand at a distance 
and pierce it with a pole shod with iron, and that the juice 
flowed into kid-leather receivers placed beneath. Serapion 
makes the same statement, except that the stomachs of animals 
were employed as receivers. 3 A.vicenna says that euphor- 
bium loses its virtues after three or four years. But he adds, 
some think these may be restored by placing the gum for some 
time in a vessel containing decorticated beans. 4 

Not identified. 

Alk el Ebtum. — This resin occurs in small, yellowish, rather 
dirty tears, in colour and taste resembling American frankin- 
cense. It is probably the product of some coniferous plants. 
Its Spanish name, " Gomma di Pinezia," gives probability to 
this suggestion, indicating as it does that it is derived from 
a species of fir. The resin is used in urinary complaints, 
accompanied by pains in the loins and deposits in the urine. 
It is administered mixed with bitters and honey. 

3 " Serapionis Medici Arabis celeberrimi Practica," Venetiis, apud juntas, 
' 1500, p. 179. 

4 Avkenna, Venetiis, apud juntas, 1595, b. ii., p. 313. 



APPENDIX. 



359 



MISCELLANEA. 
Papaverace^e. 
Ben naaman. — Papaver dubium, L. — A poppy. Capsules, 
&c. Used as a diaphoretic. 

Tamaricace^:. 

Tacoot. — Tamarix articulata, Vahl. — Galls. Used for 
tanning, and shipped for this purpose to Algiers. 

AnACARDI ACE^ . 
Illeg. — Pistachio, atlantica, Desf. — Pistachia galls. Pro- 
duced in Showia. Used for diarrhoea, and also as a cosmetic. 

Aurantiace^e. 
Ma-del-Letchin. — Citrus Species? — Orange-flower water. 
This, the quality of which is good, was brought from Tero- 
dant, a town south of 
Mogador, unvisited by 
Europeans on account of 
the fanatic nature of its 
inhabitants. Rosewater 
is brought from the same 
place, and both articles 
are largely used by the 
Moorish ladies. Vessels 
like that here repre- 
sented, which was kindly 
given to me at Mogador 
by Mr. Alfred Jordan are 
used to convey these 
waters. They are made 
of hammered copper tin- 
ned over, and are of the 
shape of half an egg. 
The top part, to which a 
handle is attached, is depressed. These vessels are eight and 
a half inches in height by seven and a half inches in diameter 




360 



APPENDIX. 



at the base, and contain about a gallon. It is curious to find 
such peculiarly-shaped and well-made vessels, probably formed 
of native copper, employed in this way in this rude country. 

Animal Substance. 
Amber el Hon. — Ambergris. — Strangely enough, this 
substance is brought to Mogador in considerable quantities 
by the Timbuctoo caravans from the interior of Africa. It 
probably finds its way there from the west coast. It is also 
obtained from sperm whales, which drift in dead on the 
Morocco coast. One of these whales has been thus procured 
at Casa Blanca in each of three years lately past. All contained 
ambergris, and the last an unusually large quantity. It was 
purchased by a Jew, who, it is said, sold it for 3000/. Much 
of it was exported to London. At Mogador it sells for about 
201. per pound. Leo, speakiug of the town of Messa in Sus, 
says : " Here may you find upon the sea-shore great store of 
amber, which the Portugal and Fezzan merchants fetch from 
thence for a very meane price, for they scarcely pay a ducat for 
a whole ounce of most choice and excellent amber." Most of 
the well-off Moors have ambergris in their houses. They use 
it in green tea as a flavour, and one of the greatest compli- 
ments paid to a guest is to present him with a cup of 
this curious mixture. Ambergris is also used as an applica- 
tion for the sting of a scorpion, when a knife made red-hot is 
also placed over the wound. 

Out of the foregoing list of sixty-six articles, more than 
half of them proved to be derived from plants identical with 
those of Europe, or else from plants so closely allied to European 
species as to possess practically the same properties. A few, 
as Argan oil, Fashook, and Phorbium, are peculiar to Morocco, 
while others, as Adad, Ouden el Haloof, Tauserghint, &c, 
appear to possess active qualities which deserve careful trials 
of their therapeutic powers. 



APPENDIX. 



361 



F. 

THE MARRIAGE OF THE SHARIF OF WAZAN. 

The publicity given to the marriage at Tangier of an English 
lady to the Sharif of Wazan may make some few particulars 
relating thereto acceptable. 

It was stipulated that the future Sharifa should be married 
according to the laws of her own country, that she should enjoy 
the free exercise of her own religion, and that she should 
continue to dress in the European fashion. A substantial 
settlement was also made upon her. 

The marriage took place March 17th, 1873, at the British 
Legation. The ceremony was performed by Sir John Drum- 
mond Hay, K.C.B., in the presence of the parents of the bride 
and several members of the Diplomatic body. The bride 
was dressed in an English riding costume, but at breakfast in 
that of an English bride, while the bridegroom appeared in a 
jacket of light blue cloth. After the ceremony they returned 
on horseback to the Victoria Hotel, where the wedding break- 
fast was provided. Sir John Hay presided, and the guests 
included Admiral M'Donald, of the Channel Fleet, and Com- 
mander Seymour, of the " Lively " despatch boat. The usual 
toasts were proposed and hearty English cheers given in 
honour of the newly-married couple, who soon afterwards rode 
away, as they had come, escorted by Moorish soldiers. 

On the following day the basha, kadi, notaries, &c. to the 
number of about thirty persons, were entertained at a great 
feast at the sharif s house. The principal guests were presented 
by the sharif to his bride, but etiquette prevented the two 
latter from joining in the feast. Festivities were meantime kept 
up outside, and the second day after the wedding was sig- 
nalized by a grand display of powder-play. On the third day 
there was a reception of Moorish ladies, dressed in their best 
attire. Mattresses were spread over the patio; on these they 
squatted, and, while some played native airs on the national 



362 



APPENDIX. 



instruments, others danced. On the fourth day there was an 
entertainment of a similar kind for the female servants and 
slaves of the neighbourhood. On the fifth day the country 
people flocked in bringing patriarchal offerings of dates, 
almonds, wax candles, and other articles. The sixth day was 
the fete of the black population. A number of them came to 
the sharif's house dressed in white, each negro holding in 
his hands a pair of metal castanets. The castanet men 
formed a ring, while each individual turned round and round, 
at first slowly, and then, at a gradually-increasing rate, to the 
accompaniment of the strains of their wild music ; till, after 
the manner of the dancing dervishes, an astonishing speed was 
attained. A couple of large drums added to the din. The 
festivities were concluded on the seventh day with a general 
feast for all the poor people in the town and neighbourhood. 

The sharif gives food and lodging to any poor traveller 
who comes to him, and on the first day of the Moorish New 
Year all beggars and needy persons who choose to call at 
his house are fed, and receive small sums of money. His 
house is a sanctuary. Wives who are ill used, and slaves who 
fear punishment from their masters, seek his protection. His 
intercession never fails to obtain pardon. 



G. 

THE CAPTIVITY OF MR. BUTLER. 

Evert one knows that the Moors were once notorious 
throughout Christendom for making slaves of the crews 
and passengers of vessels seized by their cruisers, or which 
happened to be wrecked on their inhospitable shores. Amongst 
his other dangerous adventures Robinson Crusoe was carried 
captive into Salee. The influence of the European powers has 



APPENDIX. 



363 



extinguished the practice in those parts of Morocco where the 
sultan's government can assert its strength. But in the 
southern province of Sus, which borders the Great Desert, its 
power is merely nominal. Any European who comes within 
reach of the lawless people of this region is at this day liable 
to be enslaved. Captives that are not likely to be ransomed 
are treated with great harshness, unless they profess the 
Mahommedan religion, in which case they are not allowed to 
leave the country. Sometimes captives are sold by one tribe 
to the other and carried into the far interior. But what these 
avaricious freebooters desire most is that the captives shall be 
ransomed. For this reason they are always anxious to get 
persons of a superior station into their clutches. If they 
succeed in this, means are taken to communicate the intelli- 
gence to, and if possible, to open negotiations at Mogador, the 
nearest town at which consulates are established. 

About ninety years ago the reigning sultan, finding it impos- 
sible to collect duties at the ports south of Mogador, decreed that 
they should be closed. Nevertheless these ports are occasion- 
ally visited by traders from the Canary Islands. The trade is 
carried on by barter, and is profitable in proportion to the 
risk incurred. The Moors convey their produce in boats to 
the vessels, and receive in return European goods. 

At Mogador I heard a great deal about the sad captivity of 
three persons. Their story, which follows, was told me by 
Mr. Butler, of Saffi, brother of the principal captive, and by his 
intimate friend Mr. Murdoch, also of Safii. 

Seven years previously Mr. James Butler, happening to 
be at the Canary Islands, met with a Spaniard who had traded 
with the Sheik of Wadnoon, in the southern part of Sus. 
Wadnoon, although only five days' journey by land south of 
Mogador, is entirely closed against strangers, and bears an evil 
name. However, Mr. Butler was induced by the representa- 
tions of his friend to try to establish a regular trade with 
the Sheik, Habib Ben Barak. He undertook a voyage to 



364 



APPENDIX. 



Wadnoon, while the sheik had previously made known the 
nature of the cargo of which he stood in need, to be exchanged 
for ostrich feathers, gums, wax, and other products of his 
country. 

Having arrived on the coast, Mr. Butler, in order to show 
confidence in the sheik, in an evil hour resolved to land. 
Accompanied by a friend and a sailor he went to the resi- 
dence of the sheik. They were apparently well received, and a 
long conversation about their future plans ensued. At length 
the sheik announced that the cargo should be landed without 
delay, and told Mr. Butler to write to the captain to that effect. 
Mr. Butler demurred, saying that in case of its being landed 
it would be necessary for him to be on board to super- 
intend. As Mr. Butler persisted in refusing, he and the 
men who accompanied him were held as prisoners, and after 
some time the vessel left the coast. At first they were 
treated fairly well, and allowed a house and servants. They 
were assured that if the vessel returned and trade was 
commenced all would be well. This proved to be only a 
pretext, as Mr. Butler was meantime told to write to his friends 
for money. This was at once sent, and for several years a 
sum equal to 10/. a month has been forwarded, which goes 
into the pocket of the sheik. But, no doubt with the intention 
of extracting more money, the treatment of the captives was 
soon changed. They were confined to very small rooms, and 
almost wholly deprived of exercise. The excuse made for 
this was that the money paid was insufficient to provide guards 
enough for the detention of the prisoners if allowed greater 
liberty. 

One can hardly realize the fact that at the present day men 
are held for ransom not by avowed brigands, but by a ruler not 
located far inland, like the sovereigns of Abyssinia and 
Ashantee, but at a port not far from the sea, and at no great 
distance from Europe. Such, however, is the case. 

Mr. Butler's father was for many years British vice-consul 



APPENDIX. 



365 



at Tetuan. But, although of Irish descent, the family having 
settled in Spain became Spanish subjects, and connected with 
many noble families. Great influence has therefore been 
brought to bear on the Spanish government, and after much 
negotiation the sum of 5400Z. was agreed to be paid to the 
sheik as ransom of the captives. This money has been long 
in the hands of the Spanish consul at Mogador, for the en- 
tire want of confidence on both sides prevents it from being 
paid. The sheik refuses to release the captives until the 
gold is in his hands, while the Spaniards will not part with 
it until the arrival of the captives at Mogador. Meantime the 
unfortunate men languish in what must now seem to them a 
hopeless captivity. Whenever, as sometimes happens, an 
unavoidable delay occurs in the arrival of the allowance, 
the wretched captives are made to feel their position more 
acutely by the increased rigour with which they are treated. 5 

The Ironmongers' Company of London hold in trust a large 
sum of money for the redemption of slaves in Barbary. Mr. 
Thomas Betton, a Turkey merchant who himself underwent 
the hardships of Moorish thraldom, left by his will, proved 
June 15, 1725, 26,000/., one moiety of the interest of which 
was to be always devoted to the rescue of British captives in 
Morocco. This money, which has been so long accumulating 
through want of objects to be expended upon, must now have 
reached a very large amount. But it is not improbable that 
close investigation would lead to the discovery of shipwrecked 
British subjects in captivity in Southern Morocco. 

The influence of the Sheik of Wadnoon extends among the 
wandering Arab tribes a long way south beyond the limits of 
the country which he rules. In case an attempt is made to 
carry into effect the flooding of a portion of the Sahara, so ably 
conceived by Mr. Mackenzie, it will be found that the favour 
of the Sheik will be all important to the undertaking. 

5 Since the above was written Mr. Butler has been set at liberty. 



INDEX. 



Agriculture, 161, 283. 
Ain O'must, 106. 
Aguidel, the garden of, 134. 
Ambergris, 359. 
Amusements, 234. 
Aoudad, 302. 

Apparitions, a theory to explain, 

note, 210. 
Arar wood, 95. 
Architecture, 90. 

In city of Morocco, 161. 
Argan-tree, 93, 350. 
Army, 262. 
Art, 91. 

Artim, 101, 346. 
Azamoor, 206. 

Bastinado, 78, 254. 
Baths, 76, 165. 
Batteries, 14, 88, 196. 
Beaumier's, M., meteorological 

tables, 69, 329. 
Ben Daoud, 128. 
Berbers, 216. 
Bezoars, 281. 
Birds, 305. 
Boar hunting, 324. 
Bu Bekr Sid, 122, 125, 150. 

Yisit to his house, 132. 
Busellam Boisha, 43. 
Butler's, Mr. J., captivity, 361. 
Butter, 191. 

Camel, the, 292. 



Casa Blanca, 52, 

Surf at, 54. 

Unhealthiness of, 56. 

Exports of, 58. 
Cattle, 296. 
Chameleon, the, 308. 
Character of the Moors, 222. 
Circumcision, the ceremony of, 75. 
Citron wood, Pliny's account of, 96. 
Climate, 23, 56, 66, 69, 110, 119. 

Thermometrical readings at 
Tangier, 327. 

Ditto of barom., &c, at Moga- 
dor, 329. 

Consumption, exemption of Moga- 

dor from, 74. 
Costume, 228. 
Coudiat Ardhous, 117. 
Coursing, 322. 
Court etiquette, 244. 

Dinner etiquette, 233. 
Diseases, 92. 
Dogs, 89. 

Drugs used by the Moors, 345. 

Education, 265. 
El Beeda, 115. 
El Geroui, 133. 
El Horreh, 302. 

Elevation of country between Mo- 
gador and city of Morocco, 
334, 



368 



INDEX. 



Emsra, 187. 
Euphorbium gum, 356. 
Evil eye, 92, 175, 273. 

Famines, 290. 

Fashook gam, 355. 

Fatness, method of inducing, 234. 

Induced by bastinado, 254. 
Fish, 314. 

Fishing, 45, 66, 87, 110, 315. 
French war with Morocco, 88. 
Funeral, Moorish, 100. 

Game, 198. 
Gibraltar, 2, 5. 
Government officials, 245. 
Governor's castle, 188. 
Another, 208. 

Hammatcha Sect, 270. 

Harrabel, 236. 

Hawks, Variety of, 307. 

Edible, 87. 

For sport, 90. 

Rare specimen, 102. 
Hashish, 240. 

Hooker, Dr., Pres. E. Soc, ascent 

of the Atlas, 155. 
Horse, the, 293. 
Huts, conical-shaped, 64. 
Hyena, the, 304. 

Infants' food, 93. 

Insects, plague of, 113, 208, 312. 

Inzella, what, 103. 

El Youdy, 118. 
Irene roots, 352. 
Iron mountains, 102. 
Ishowa sect, 267. 

Jackal-hunting, 323. 

Jewellery, 231. 

Jews in the empire, 220. 

In city of Morocco, 179. 
Jew of Wadnoon, story about, 274. 
Justice, 166. 

Kador, 4. 

His conversation, 48. 
Kief, 240, 348. 
Klata l'Halsan, 105. 



Kuskussoo, 232. 

Landscape, 101. 
Lar Arta, 103. 
Law, 248. 
Leper village, 146. 
Lighthouse, 52. 
Locusts, 313. 

Mahaya, 241. 

Mahommedanism, 106, 267. 
Manufactures, 161, 231, 241, 297. 
Mazagan, history of, 60. 

Fine cistern at, 64. 

Danger of roadstead, 65. 

Trade, %b. 

Climate, 66. 
Medical observations about Tan- 
gier, 328. 

About Mogador, 329. 
Medicine in Morocco, 74, 279. 
Mzoudia, 116. 
Mills, 57. 

Millstone quarry, 53. 
Mogador, 67. 

Mr. Perry's house at, 68. 

Climate, 69. 

Description of, 71. 

Trade of, 73. 

Jews at, 74. 

The High Priest of, 75. 

The Governor of, 77. 

Peculiar Hugo at, 78. 

The island at, 81, 

Danger of the port, 82. 

Visit to the island, 84. 
Money, 299. 

Description of, 343. 
Monkeys, 303. 

Montefiore, Sir M., 73, 178, 222. 

Moorish costume, 135. 

Moorish feast, 122. 

Moorish incapacity, 101, 159, note. 

Moors, the race of, 216. 

Morocco, geography of, 212. 

Population of, 214. 
Morocco City, journey to, 99. 

Plain of, 120. 

Gardens of, 124. 



INDEX. 



369 



Morocco City — 

First impressions of city, 124. 
Our house in, 126. 
Disturbed state of, 12'8. 
Gates of, 128. 

Yisit to Jews' quarter, 130, 
131. 

Apathy of inhabitants, 131. 
Insults offered to us in, 135, 

144. 
Prison in, 137. 
Life in the house, 139. 
Arbitrary tribunal in, 138. 
News in, 140. 
Food in, 141. 

Fine views from, 143, 159. 
Attempt to poison us in, 
148. 

History and general descrip- 
tion of, 157. 

Markets, 168. 

Local taxes, 170. 

Manufactures, ib. 

Palace, 171. 

Sanctuary, ib. 

Fountains, 172. 

Jews' quarter, 173. 

Inhabitants, 181. 

Government, 183. 

Thieves, 184. 
Morocco leather, 73, 170, 298. 
Mosques, 47, 50, 88, 165. 

The Katoubia, 135, 163. 
Mount Washington, 38. 
Mshra, 117. 

Muley Ali's gardens, 150. 
Muley Hassan, 129. 
Murders, 50, 105, 118, 184. 

Narcissus Broussonetii, 200. 
Negro race, 220. 
Nifys river, 118. 

Oleander, 109. 
Olive tree, large at Sam, 200. 
Orange flower-water, 358. 
Ostrich hunting, 308. 
Owl, small species, 107. 



Paper Nautilus, 53. 
Partridge -shooting, 316. 
Pigeons, wild, 85. 
Plough, 286. 

Poisoning us attempted, 148. 

Motives for this, 150. 
Powder play, 28. 
Prayer, hours of, 266. 
Prisons, 15, 137, 165, 191, 256. 
Proverbs, Arab, 179, 219. 
Punishments, 252. 

Quarantine, 84. 

Rabbits, 321. 

Reforms urgently required, 259. 
Renegades, 222. 
Revenue, 247. 

Saffi, 195. 

Sanctuary at, 196. 
Surf at, 199. 

Large olive-tree near, 200. 
Saint houses, 57. 
Salt, Lake of, 193. 
Sanatorium, site for, 39. 
Sanctuaries, 251. 
Schools, 48. 
Science, 164. 
Scorpions, 47. 

Charm against, in City of Mo- 
rocco, 175. 
Seshoua, 108. 

Sharif, the Grand, of Wazan, 
24. 

Account of his wedding, 360. 
Shebbel, 45, 207. 
Shluh race, 217. 
Shluh village, 89. 

Shooting, 46, 66, 86, 93, 101, 187, 

316. 
Shraa, 257. 

Sidi Moktar Sanctuary, 104, 108. 
Slavery, 226. 
Snakes, 309. 

In houses, 132. 
Snake charmers, 144. 
Soldier guards, necessity for, 153. 
Spy, a, 102. 

b b 



370 



INDEX. 



Squirrels, 108. 

Starlings, immense flocks of, 86. 

Stone-throwing, story of superna- 
tural, 276. 

Sultan, the, 28, 58, 123, 130, 179, 
244. 

Superstitions, 271. 

Tabia, 162. 
Tabib, the, 306. 
Taghareet what, 32. 
Tangier, 2. 

Disembarking at, 3. 

Lord Sandwich's journal, con- 
cerning, 6. 

Pepys' mention of, 7. 

Given up by the English, 9. 

Town described, 11. 

Batteries, 14. 

Citadel, ib. 

Hotels, 15. 

Amusements, 17. 

Antiquities, 18. 

Gardens, 19. 

Coffee-houses, 20. 

Prices at, 21. 

Institutions, 22. 

Climate, 23. 
Tax collection, 42. 



Tea-drinking, 122, 238. 
Tensift river, 110, 186. 

Bridge over, 150. 
Threshing, 288. 
Tortoises, 311. 

• Taking bait, 111. 
Tortures, 255. 
Trade of Morocco, 335. 

Tabular views of, 340. 
Treasure, hidden, 300. 
Truffles, 291. 
Turkeys, 142. 
Tweff el Arras, what, 34. 

Vegetation, curious distribution 

of, 120. 
Voyage, 1. 

Wadnoon, the Sheik of, 362. 
Wages, 21, 289. 

Water, effects of, on animals, 106. 
On vegetation, 109, 116, 283, 
285. 

Wedding, a Moorish, 30. 

A Jewish, 31. 
Weights and Measures, 344. 
Wheat crop, 289. 
Wild boar, 301. 

Yezid, Sultan, story of, 198. 



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